What Is a Block Explorer?
A block explorer is a tool that connects directly to a specific blockchain, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Its purpose is to enable users to view and query individual blocks, providing visibility to the transactions or other actions performed by holders of various cryptocurrencies.
Block explorers play a crucial role in the mission of transparency and decentralization within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The universal visibility of all transaction data is a key differentiating factor between cryptocurrencies and conventional currencies.
Block Information and Exploration
Within each block, you can find information such as the block height, age, block reward, the identity of the user, or pool of users who mined the block.
In addition, the TX (transaction list) displays the number of transactions in the block and the transaction status, indicating whether a transaction is pending or confirmed.
To explore specific blocks or transactions, users need to input a specific query, typically the TXID (transaction hash) – a hexadecimal sequence used to identify a particular transaction uniquely.