Arc API Quickstart

To use the Arc API you'll need to create a free Alchemy account first!

Introduction

Arc is an open Layer 1 blockchain by Circle, purpose-built for stablecoin finance, featuring USDC as the native gas token, sub-second finality, and direct integration with Circle's platform for secure access to liquidity and developer tooling.

What is the Arc API?

The Arc API allows interaction with the Arc network through a set of JSON-RPC methods. Its design is familiar to developers who have worked with Ethereum's JSON-RPC APIs, making it intuitive and straightforward to use.

Getting Started Instructions

1. Choose a Package Manager (npm or yarn)

Select a package manager to manage your project's dependencies. Choose between npm and yarn based on your preference or project requirements.

# Begin with npm by following the npm documentation
# https://docs.npmjs.com/downloading-and-installing-node-js-and-npm

2. Set Up Your Project

Open your terminal and execute the following commands to create and initialize your project:

mkdir arc-api-quickstart
cd arc-api-quickstart
npm init --yes

This creates a new directory named arc-api-quickstart and initializes a Node.js project within it.

3. Make Your First Request

Install Axios, a popular HTTP client, to make API requests:

npm install axios

Create an index.js file in your project directory and paste the following code:

const axios = require('axios');
 
const url = 'https://arc-testnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/your-api-key';
 
const payload = {
  jsonrpc: '2.0',
  id: 1,
  method: 'eth_blockNumber',
  params: []
};
 
axios.post(url, payload)
  .then(response => {
    console.log('Latest Block:', response.data.result);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.error(error);
  });

Remember to replace your-api-key with your actual Alchemy API key that you can get from your Alchemy dashboard.

4. Run Your Script

Execute your script to make a request to the Arc network:

node index.js

You should see the latest block information from Arc's network outputted to your console:

Latest Block: 0x...

Next Steps

Congratulations! You've made your first request to the Arc network. You can now explore the various JSON-RPC methods available on Arc and start building your dApps on this innovative platform.