<p>There are <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/api">many</a>.</p>
<p>If we define an Applications Programming Interface (API) as any kind of software interface between computers or programs then the following apply.</p>
<ol>
<li><p><strong><a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Protocol_documentation" rel="noreferrer">Bitcoin network protocol</a></strong>. You can write software to use this to obtain blockchain related information from any other Bitcoin node.</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>Remote Procedure Calls (RPC)</strong>. Many full-node implementations provide an RPC service. For example <a href="https://developer.bitcoin.org/reference/rpc/" rel="noreferrer">Bitcoin Core RPC</a>. Other implementations may have their ownAPI. For example Electrum's <a href="https://electrum.readthedocs.io/en/latest/jsonrpc.html" rel="noreferrer">JSONRPC</a>. There is no guarantee that different software provides the same or even similar RPC API.</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>Command Line interface (CLI)</strong>. Although probably  designed with interactive use in mind, these can be used in scripts or invoked from compiled programs and thus constitute a kind of API. For example <a href="https://www.kompulsa.com/bitcoin-cli-commands-and-api-methods/" rel="noreferrer">Bitcoin Core CLI</a> - though I expect the RPC interface is preferable in most non-interactive cases.</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>Web service APIs</strong> provided by major Bitcoin related services. For example <a href="https://blockchair.com/api" rel="noreferrer">Blockchair</a>. This includes some Cryptocurrency Exchanges. It may be that these require registration and may be rate-limited for people who don't pay a subscription or otherwise have a business relationship.</p>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-20T10:26:52.917Z
2022-01-20T10:33:25.467Z
2022-01-20T10:33:25.467Z
RedGrittyBrick
<p>Sorry if my question sounds silly, I get downvoted for some reason everytime I ask it. I just need some help</p>
<p>Today I saw the &quot;richest bitcoin wallets&quot; chart and I was inspired to program the same thing, it's interesting for me to know how this type of research is done. I want to be able to look into blockchain data by means of code and perform some queries (I guess?) to sort addresses starting from wealthiest. Also I want to get transactions data to analyze moves of traders</p>
<p>And, of course, I tried to google what I want to do but unfortunately, I was unable to find anything on that topic!</p>
<p>Can someone please point me the right direction? I can't find find out from where to start</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-20T09:39:37.253Z
This may help: https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/11459/51948
meshcollider
<development>
Is there a bitcoin api?
Daniil
# Is there a bitcoin api?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-01-20)

Sorry if my question sounds silly, I get downvoted for some reason everytime I ask it. I just need some help

Today I saw the "richest bitcoin wallets" chart and I was inspired to program the same thing, it's interesting for me to know how this type of research is done. I want to be able to look into blockchain data by means of code and perform some queries (I guess?) to sort addresses starting from wealthiest. Also I want to get transactions data to analyze moves of traders

And, of course, I tried to google what I want to do but unfortunately, I was unable to find anything on that topic!

Can someone please point me the right direction? I can't find find out from where to start

**Tags:** development

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This may help: https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/11459/51948  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-01-20. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

There are [many](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/api).

If we define an Applications Programming Interface (API) as any kind of software interface between computers or programs then the following apply.

1. **[Bitcoin network protocol](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Protocol_documentation)**. You can write software to use this to obtain blockchain related information from any other Bitcoin node.
2. **Remote Procedure Calls (RPC)**. Many full-node implementations provide an RPC service. For example [Bitcoin Core RPC](https://developer.bitcoin.org/reference/rpc/). Other implementations may have their ownAPI. For example Electrum's [JSONRPC](https://electrum.readthedocs.io/en/latest/jsonrpc.html). There is no guarantee that different software provides the same or even similar RPC API.
3. **Command Line interface (CLI)**. Although probably designed with interactive use in mind, these can be used in scripts or invoked from compiled programs and thus constitute a kind of API. For example [Bitcoin Core CLI](https://www.kompulsa.com/bitcoin-cli-commands-and-api-methods/) - though I expect the RPC interface is preferable in most non-interactive cases.
4. **Web service APIs** provided by major Bitcoin related services. For example [Blockchair](https://blockchair.com/api). This includes some Cryptocurrency Exchanges. It may be that these require registration and may be rate-limited for people who don't pay a subscription or otherwise have a business relationship.


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