Understanding RPC Nodes

Remote procedure call (RPC) is one of the critical tools of the blockchain ecosystem. With the help of RPC, it is possible to implement almost any service based on blockchain data.

Decentralized applications (dApps), require access to a huge amount of information from the blockchain. This can be in the form of historical data, transaction history, node connections, block numbers, etc. and to access this data, it is necessary to query the blockchain.

There are several reasons why having a dedicated RPC node is a good idea:

Control: Full control over the node and its data can be gained, which allows customization to suit specific needs such as configuring it to store more historical data than a typical node.
Security: As complete visibility and control over the node and its data is achieved, this translates to an increase in security. This can assist in preventing unauthorized access to the data and reducing the risk of data breaches.
Privacy: Complete privacy can be achieved since the data is not shared with third parties.
Independence: Dependency on a third party can be avoided, which can help ensure continuity of service, even in the event of third-party nodes going offline or becoming unavailable.
Performance: Improved performance can be achieved through direct control over the resources available to the node.
Compliance: Compliance with regulations or data privacy laws may require a dedicated node in some industries or regions.

Overall, running your own RPC Ethereum node can provide greater control, security, privacy, independence, performance and compliance for your specific needs.

However, doing it yourself would require a lot of DevOps team resources. Not only for deploying the solution, but also for further maintenance. That's why it's often better to turn to professionals on this issue. P2P can help you maintain your own dedicated nodes with low latency, with servers in the US, EU and Asia Pacific. You get the benefits of a dedicated machine without the headache of having to manage it.

The main use cases for RPC Nodes

There are several use cases for Remote Procedure Call (RPC) nodes in blockchain:

Decentralized applications (dApps): dApps rely on the network to function, and they often use RPC nodes to communicate with the network and access the blockchain data they need.
Smart contract development: Developers use RPC nodes to test and deploy smart contracts on networks.
Wallet development: Wallet developers use RPC nodes to access blockchain data and perform transactions on behalf of users.
Token and cryptocurrency exchanges: Exchanges use RPC nodes to access blockchain data and perform transactions on behalf of users.
Blockchain analytics: Analysts and researchers use RPC nodes to access and analyse blockchain data.
Auditing: Auditing firms use RPC nodes to access blockchain data and perform audits on smart contracts, tokens and other assets.
Payment processing: Companies and organizations use RPC nodes to process payments and transactions on the Ethereum network.

These are just a few examples of the many ways that RPC nodes can be used.

What is an RPC endpoint?

Typically, an RPC endpoint is a point on the network where a program sends RPC requests to access server data. With an RPC endpoint, you can easily perform operations that use real-time blockchain data in your dApp.

The appropriate software needs to be installed on a node in order to respond to RPC requests. RPC endpoints run on nodes connected to the blockchain service through which your dApp receives information for its users. Therefore, all RPC endpoints run on RPC nodes, and all RPC nodes have RPC endpoints.

Full node and archive node

Depending on your use case, the type of node you need will vary. RPC nodes can also be divided into two main types - full nodes and archive nodes. The difference is in the depth of history that the nodes keep.

A full node keeps the current state of the blockchain and contains all the data on the network except trace data for transactions beyond the most recent blocks.

An archive node is a type of node that stores the entire blockchain history. This allows the node to provide access to historical data and transactions, which can be useful for various purposes such as analyzing the blockchain's past performance or auditing the network's activity. These nodes typically require a large amount of storage and computational resources to run, as they must maintain a copy of the entire blockchain. They are also known as full archive nodes or simply archive nodes.

To sum up, an archive node is a full node that additionally maintains a database of historical blockchain states. Full nodes can calculate historical states, but archive nodes have the information readily available locally and have better performance for this type of request.

The standard RPC specification

Blockchains use the JSON-RPC standard for RPC. Data requests are received and processed quickly by this system. JSON-RPC is a stateless, lightweight protocol for remote procedure calls (RPCs). Several data structures are defined in this protocol, along with rules for their processing. It is transport agnostic in that the concepts can be used within the same process, over sockets, over HTTP, or in various message-passing environments.

P2P is happy to provide assistance in deploying or maintaining your Web3 infrastructure. We will help you find the best configuration for your RPC nodes and address any infrastructure needs you may have. You'll get the benefits of a dedicated node without the headache of managing your own machine. Ideal for Dex's Financial services and dApps.

Contact us at letsgo@p2p.org