Block Explorers¶
Introduction¶
Block explorers serve as comprehensive blockchain analytics platforms that provide access to on-chain data. These web applications function as search engines for blockchain networks, allowing users to query, visualize, and analyze blockchain data in real time through intuitive interfaces.
Core Functionality¶
Block explorers provide essential capabilities for interacting with smart contracts on Polkadot Hub:
- Transaction tracking: Monitor transaction status, confirmations, fees, and metadata.
- Address analysis: View account balances, transaction history, and associated contracts.
- Block information: Examine block contents.
- Smart contract interaction: Review contract code, verification status, and interaction history.
- Token tracking: Monitor ERC-20, ERC-721, and other token standards with transfer history and holder analytics.
- Network statistics: Access metrics on transaction volume, gas usage, and other network parameters.
Available Block Explorers¶
The following block explorers are available for Polkadot Hub smart contracts, providing specialized tools for monitoring and analyzing contract activity.
BlockScout¶
BlockScout is an open-source explorer platform hosted by Parity under the polkadot.io domain. It excels at EVM-focused analytics, contract verification without an API key, and provides developers with a full Etherscan-compatible API.
Subscan¶
Subscan is the flagship Polkadot ecosystem block explorer. It is Substrate-native and provides comprehensive support for both Substrate-level data (pallets, extrinsics, events) and EVM transactions and smart contracts, making it well-suited for inspecting both layers simultaneously.
| Created: June 11, 2025