Blockscout and The Evolution of Block Explorers

The standard for block explorers will change soon.

Introduction

If anyone has participated in the blockchain ecosystem from the early days when there were only a few decentralized applications, surely one of the applications they interact with the most is block explorers. Even now, they are still very essential applications for blockchain users, especially when their assets are widely distributed across networks. However, as user needs increase, block explorers are also updated, improved, and changed, to meet many people’s requirements.

In this article, we will learn about Blockscout and see what interesting features block explorers currently have.

What is Blockscout Block Explorer?

Blockscout block explorer is an open-source cryptographic application, created so that users can easily research and analyze data of blockchains based on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). A typical example is that users can easily check the status and details of transactions and balances of an account.

However, it doesn’t stop here. This function is only considered a basic function of block explorers. With the vision and desire to help users optimize the information obtained from blockchain as well as add more utilities, Blockscout is now equipped with many useful features, supporting both common users and developers.

Features of Blockscout — A Representative of the New Generation of Block Explorer

View a variety of Blockchain information

Today, explorers not only provide basic facilities for transactions and accounts on the blockchain. Block explorers like Blockscout can display and deepen information that is valuable for research and classification. For example, you can search for block transaction information at: https://optimism.blockscout.com/blocks

And see the details of those blocks. (Example: https://optimism.blockscout.com/block/114985054)

In addition, Blockscout has significantly improved compared to previous versions by adding labeling and status features for transactions.

In the image above, we can find transactions labeled “Token transfer” which are transactions that send tokens, and transactions that interact with smart contracts will be labeled “Call Contracts.” Optionally the status of the transaction can also be identified with “Successful” or “Failed”. See more at: https://optimism.blockscout.com/txs.

Ethereum Name Services (ENS) Support

Blockscout strongly supports Ethereum Name Service (ENS), a domain name service with many uses, operating mainly on the Ethereum ecosystem.

It can be said that Blockscout’s explorers are the simplest tools for training ENS. When you go to ENS Lookup on Ethereum’s explorer at https://eth.blockscout.com/name-domains?only_active=true, you will find a list of domain names in use.

Try entering your domain name in the search box, you will find the address associated with that domain name, registration date, and expiration date.

Otherwise, try entering an address and you will see the ENS associated with the address you want to see (if any).

In the future, maybe users can manage their domain names right on Blockscout. Who knows?

Interaction with Smart Contracts

If in the past, users had a very limited understanding of smart contract and EOA. Today, advanced explorers like Blockscout allow users to distinguish between these two types. With smart contracts, Blockscout offers the ability to view, interact, and work with them directly.

For example, when you visit the Verified Contracts section, you will see which information contracts have been verified for clean, safe sources and can help the end user easily understand how they work. Smart contracts are at the core of decentralized applications, so this verification helps make coins transparent and limits the risk of failure to get rid of assets, large or small, that are properly held.

To check if the code source of a token has been identified, go to “Verified contracts” and enter any address in the search box. If it was verified, it will display a verification icon next to it.

Programmers can verify smart contracts right on Blockscout https://eth.blockscout.com/contract-verification

Use DApps Right on BlockScout’s Block Explorer

This is my favorite feature of Blockscout products. Blockscout calls this feature “DAppscout”. Instead of going to many different websites to use decentralized applications, users can research transactions and use applications right on a single platform.

This is such a strong difference because the previous generation of block explorers had very little interaction and served users with limited needs. With DAppscout, users can:

• Conveniently switch between different dApps right on one interface
• Browse safely without worrying about phishing links
• Experience a wide range of services

DAppScout opens up a new development path for block explorers and challenges the change in products like Etherscan, which does not yet have this new feature. Although this is not necessarily a common direction for all block explorer applications, with the increasing number of layer 2 and layer 3 blockchains using Blockscout as a default application, it can be the standard in the eyes of people. Usage will change drastically.

To be able to use DAppscout, visit the block explorers made by Blockscout and go to the Apps section or visit the following illustrative link: https://eth.blockscout.com/apps.

Try searching for an app, for example: ‘ambient’.

You can even search in Blockscout’s general search bar.

When clicking on the search results, the application name will appear, click to use the application right on DAppscout (however, some applications have not yet been integrated).

You can try connecting the wallet and interacting directly with the application. Blockscout plays no role in the intermediary role that the applications embed on the website.

Projects that wish to appear here can be subscribed through the “Submit your project” button.

Conclusion

Over the years, block explorer projects are truly a land that, although no longer new, still has the potential to bring many surprises to the entire blockchain world. Blockscout’s explorers, with many drastic changes recently, have confirmed that this type of application will soon no longer be boring and simply for basic transaction checking. Not only stopping at the above, Blockscout is still developing more applications that, as I said, can change the standards of block explorers.