Avalanche

Overview

Avalanche is a Proof of Stake (PoS), layer 1 platform that consists of 3 built-in blockchains that are optimized to perform specific tasks. These Blockchains are known as the Exchange Chain (X-Chain), Platform Chain (P-Chain), and Contract Chain (C-Chain). Additionally, Avalanche supports the Standard EVM API, providing compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine.

Avalanche was designed with a focus on security, low latency, and high throughput, catering specifically to decentralized finance (DeFi) dApps and protocols. It achieves this via a novel consensus protocol that combines two different consensus mechanisms. This unique consensus protocol ensures high security and fast finality, even when multiple chains run concurrently within the network.

Avalanche API interactions follow the JSON-RPC standard.

Networks

Mainnet: AvalancheGo
Testnet: Fuji

Methods

Nirvana Labs supports the following APIs for Avalanche:

Standard EVM API

Subnet-EVM APIs are identical to Coreth C-Chain APIs, except for Avalanche Specific APIs starting with "avax". Subnet-EVM also supports standard Ethereum APIs. For more information about Coreth APIs see GitHub.

The most used API methods for interacting with the EVM API are:


eth_accounts	eth_gasPrice
eth_blockNumber	eth_hashrate
eth_chainId	eth_newBlockFilter
eth_mining	txpool_content
eth_maxPriorityFeePerGas	eth_peerCount
eth_newPendingTransactionFilter	net_listening
net_version	txpool_status
web3_clientVersion	eth_syncing
eth_getBlockTransactionCountByNumber	eth_getBlockTransactionCountByHash
eth_getBlockReceipts	eth_getTransactionCount
eth_getTransactionReceipt	eth_getTransactionByHash
eth_getTransactionByBlockNumberAndIndex	eth_getTransactionByBlockHashAndIndex
eth_getUncleCountByBlockHash	eth_getUncleCountByBlockNumber
eth_getBlockByNumber	eth_getCode
eth_getBlockByHash	eth_getFilterChanges
eth_getFilterLogs	eth_getStorageAt
eth_sendRawTransaction	net_peerCount

P-Chain API

The P-Chain handles all validator and Subnet-level operations on Avalanche. The P-Chain API supports the creation of new blockchains and Subnets, the addition of validators to Subnets, staking operations, and other platform-level operations.

The P-Chain is an instance of a Platform Virtual Machine.


platform.getBalance	platform.getBlockchainStatus
platform.getBlockchains	platform.getHeight
platform.getTx	platform.getTxStatus

C-Chain API

The C-Chain is an implementation of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). The C-Chain’s API supports Geth's API and smart contracts written in Solidity.

The C-Chain is an instance of the Coreth Virtual Machine.


eth_blockNumber	eth_getBlockByNumbereth_getBlockByNumber
eth_getBlockByHash	eth_chainId
eth_gasPrice	eth_maxPriorityFeePerGas
eth_newBlockFilter	eth_newPendingTransactionFilter
eth_syncing	net_listening
net_peerCount	net_version
web3_clientVersion

X-Chain API

The X-Chain is responsible for digital smart asset (Avalanche Native Tokens) operations. A smart asset represents a real-world resource (for example, equity, or a bond) with rules that govern its behavior, like "can’t be traded until XX date."

The X-Chain API supports the creation and trade of Avalanche Native Tokens.


avm.getAllBalances	avm.getBalance
avm.getAssetDescription	avm.getTx
avm.getTxStatus