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add rpc overview
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‎ecosystem/rpc/overview.mdx‎

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---
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title: "Overview"
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description: "Understand the main ways to access the TON blockchain."
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---
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import { Stub } from '/snippets/stub.jsx';
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## Types of API
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<Stub issue="159" />
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TON exposes several access layers for interacting with the blockchain, each serving different needs:
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- **HTTP API** - standard web access for querying accounts, blocks, and sending transactions.
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- **Indexed API** - database-backed API providing structured, decoded, and historical data.
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- **ADNL** - low-level peer-to-peer protocol for direct communication with nodes.
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<Note>
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**Indexed vs Non-Indexed**
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In TON, APIs differ by how deeply they process data before returning it.
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**Non-indexed APIs** fetch results from liteservers through `tonlibjson`. They’re simple and fast, but the data comes directly from the node: no decoding, joins, or long-term history.
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**Indexed APIs** run an indexer alongside a node. The indexer reads blocks from RocksDB, decodes transactions and actions, and stores them in PostgreSQL for structured access.
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That extra database layer makes it possible to query decoded, historical, and aggregated data without talking to the node directly.
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</Note>
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## HTTP API
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The HTTP API exposes the TON blockchain through both **REST** and **JSON-RPC** interfaces.
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It allows developers to fetch account and wallet information, explore blocks and transactions, send messages, call smart contract methods, and more.
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<Note>
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For production, it’s recommended to integrate at least two providers to ensure uptime.
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</Note>
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### Typical use cases
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- Querying accounts, balances, or transactions
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- Sending messages or deploying smart contracts
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- Building wallets and basic dApps
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### Run your own instance
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Use the open-source [ton-http-api](https://github.com/toncenter/ton-http-api) to host your own endpoint.
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## Indexed API
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Indexed APIs extend HTTP functionality by offering structured, decoded, and historical blockchain data.
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They are built on top of the **TON Indexer**, which reads data from a full node, decodes transactions and actions, and stores them in a PostgreSQL database for efficient querying.
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These APIs power explorers and analytics tools that need complex searches or decoded data.
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### Typical use cases
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- Blockchain explorers and analytics dashboards
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- Historical or decoded transaction queries
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- NFT and Jetton tracking
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### HTTP vs Indexer
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| Type | Best for | What you get |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| **HTTP** | Sending messages or performing standard read requests | Data processed by `tonlib` and served through liteservers over REST or JSON-RPC. Useful for querying accounts, balances, or transactions without indexing overhead. |
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| **Indexer** | Accessing decoded, historical, or aggregated data | Responses served from an indexing database built from a full node’s data. Ideal for explorers, analytics, and structured blockchain queries. |
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<Tip>
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Prefer **Indexed APIs** for nearly all read operations, as they provide broader coverage, better performance, and decoded data.
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Use **HTTP APIs** when you need to **send messages or transactions** directly to the network.
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</Tip>
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### Run your own instance
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Use the open-source [ton-indexer](https://github.com/toncenter/ton-indexer) to host your own endpoint.
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## ADNL API
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**ADNL (Abstract Datagram Network Layer)** is TON’s peer-to-peer protocol for direct node communication.
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It provides verifiable, low-level access to blockchain data and transaction submission.
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Clients connect directly to **liteservers** using a binary protocol, downloading key blocks, account states, and Merkle proofs to verify data authenticity.
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For read operations (such as `runGetMethod`), the client executes a local TVM run using the verified state, without downloading the full blockchain.
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### Typical use cases
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- Running validators or custom node software
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- Building node management and monitoring tools
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- Applications requiring Merkle-proof validation
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### HTTP vs ADNL
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| Type | Best for | What you get |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| **HTTP** | General-purpose access to blockchain data and message submission | Returns processed data produced by `tonlib` through liteservers, exposed over REST or JSON-RPC. The data is already parsed and formatted for applications, not a raw or verifiable ledger snapshot. |
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| **ADNL** | Direct and verifiable access to the blockchain state | Native peer-to-peer protocol used by TON nodes. Provides binary responses with Merkle proofs, allowing clients to verify the authenticity of account states and transactions directly. |
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<Tip>
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For most applications, prefer an **Indexed API** for reads, because it provides broader coverage and faster, decoded data.
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Use **HTTP** when you need to **send messages or transactions** directly to the network.
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Choose **ADNL** for low-level, verifiable access or when running your own node or validator infrastructure.
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</Tip>
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### Run your own instance
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Use [MyTonCtrl](../node/setup-mytonctrl) to enable a liteserver and expose an ADNL endpoint.
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## Providers
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### Official providers
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| Provider | Type | Public Endpoints | Docs |
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| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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| [TON Center API v2](https://github.com/toncenter/ton-http-api) | HTTP | `https://toncenter.com/api/v2/`, `https://testnet.toncenter.com/api/v2/` | [Docs](./get-api-key) |
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| [TON Center API v3](https://github.com/toncenter/ton-indexer) | Indexer | `https://toncenter.com/api/v3/` | [Docs](./get-api-key) |
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| [dTON](https://t.me/dtontech_bot) | ADNL | Provided by dTON via [request through official bot](https://t.me/dtontech_bot) | — |
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| Public liteservers | ADNL | `https://ton.org/global-config.json`, `https://ton.org/testnet-global.config.json` | — |
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### Third party providers
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| Provider | Type | Public Endpoints | Docs |
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| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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| [Chainstack](https://chainstack.com/build-better-with-ton/) | HTTP, Indexer, ADNL | Access via dashboard or project workspace | [Docs](https://docs.chainstack.com/reference/getting-started-ton#getting-started-ton) |
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| [TON API](https://docs.tonconsole.com/tonapi) | Indexer | `https://testnet.tonapi.io`,`https://tonapi.io` | [Docs](https://docs.tonconsole.com/tonapi) |
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| [Ankr](https://www.ankr.com/rpc/ton/) | HTTP | `https://rpc.ankr.com/http/ton_api_v2` | [Docs](https://www.ankr.com/docs/rpc-service/chains/chains-api/ton/) |
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| [QuickNode](https://www.quicknode.com/chains/ton) | HTTP | Access via dashboard or project workspace | [Docs](https://www.quicknode.com/docs/ton) |
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| [Tatum](https://tatum.io/) | HTTP, Indexer | `https://ton-mainnet.gateway.tatum.io`, `https://ton-testnet.gateway.tatum.io` | [Docs](https://docs.tatum.io/guides/blockchain/the-open-network-ton) |
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| [GetBlock](https://getblock.io/nodes/ton/) | HTTP | `https://ton.getblock.io/mainnet/`, `https://ton.getblock.io/testnet/` | [Docs](https://docs.getblock.io/api-reference/the-open-network-ton) |
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| [Chainbase](https://chainbase.com/) | HTTP | Access via dashboard or project workspace | [Docs](https://docs.chainbase.com/api-reference/overview) |
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| [NowNodes](https://nownodes.io/nodes/ton) | HTTP, Indexer | `https://ton-open-api.nownodes.io/v2`, `https://ton-index.nownodes.io/api/v3` | [Docs](https://nownodes.gitbook.io/ton-toncoin) |

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