I know there are RPC providers like QuickNode and Alchemy
Irwing Tello
3 Answers
There are only a few customizable indexing solutions / frameworks (that include an instant Graphql API) that I've come across to query data for dApps or dashboards.
There are also providers that re-host your subgraph with additional compute, for increased performance, but this isn't really solving the true problem of querying data from the blockchain.
Other providers (think Moralis, Transpose, n.xyz, etc.) offer out-of-box, unified APIs that are plug and play but it mostly comes down to your requirements. Are you building a simple use case DApp, e.g. NFT app, where standardised APIs may sufficiently support your data requirements, or a more innovative protocol that requires customisability and more rich indexing.
Customisable indexing frameworks like Graph have been around for some time, but they've announced moving to a decentralised business model that requires active network participation. It's more of a ease vs decentralization debate. I'm aware of larger subgraphs on the hosted service taking long to sync up to the current state of the blockchain, and can impact user experience and also painful for troubleshooting..hence the tactical solution to re-host subgraphs.
There are other more new GraphQL API data indexing solutions like Envio or subsquid, or subquery. These mostly include a config file, schema file and event handlers, with supported codegen to speed up the dev process.
Important considerations:
- blockchain networks supported (EVM, WASM, etc.)
- language support, e.g Graph event handling is done in AssemblyScript, whereas Envio for example offers JavaScript/Typescript
- real-time data and sync speeds using JSON RPC or other accelerated means
- flexibility of hosted service (e.g. access to db, arbitrary side processes, scalability)
When seeking GraphQL API providers for blockchain data, a prominent solution to consider is The Graph, as well as a production-grade hosted service Chainstack Subgraphs.
The Graph
The Graph is a decentralized protocol designed to make blockchain data easily accessible to applications. It achieves this by converting blockchain data into consumable API endpoints using GraphQL.
Features of The Graph's GraphQL API:
- Developers can define and deploy subgraphs, which are open APIs that can be queried using GraphQL.
- These subgraphs enable structured, efficient access to blockchain data tailored to application needs.
- Data can be queried faster once indexed compared to direct blockchain queries.
Chainstack Subgraphs
Chainstack Subgraphs serves as a production-grade alternative to The Graph's Hosted Service. It offers a managed GraphQL solution for blockchain data, tailored for high-availability and large-scale application demands.
Benefits of Chainstack Subgraphs:
- Managed service: This means reduced overhead for developers and businesses, as the solution provides hosting, maintenance, and scaling.
- Optimized performance: Being production-grade, it can handle the demands of heavy-duty applications and offers high availability.
- Seamless integration: Given the nature of managed services, Chainstack Subgraphs might provide easier integration with existing Chainstack services or popular blockchain networks.
Disclaimer: I'm the founder of Chainstack
Conclusion
While The Graph offers a decentralized approach to structuring and querying blockchain data using GraphQL, Chainstack Subgraphs is a viable alternative, especially for those looking for an easy-to-use, flexible production-grade solution.
Bitquery's GraphQL APIs provide complete historical and real-time data from 40+ blockchains.
The data includes.
- NFT data
- DEX trading Data
- Token transfers
- Transaction
- Balance data
- Transactions
- Smart contract events
- Smart contract calls and more
You can try Bitquery's GrpahQL APIs here - https://ide.bitquery.io/
Read their docs here - https://docs.bitquery.io/
Disclosure - I work for Bitquery
