Question 1

What is a NEAR RPC node?

Accepted Answer

A NEAR RPC node is a server that exposes NEAR Protocol's JSON-RPC API, letting applications query blockchain data, submit transactions, and interact with smart contracts on the network. Developers use NEAR RPC nodes to build AI-powered apps, DeFi protocols, gaming dApps, and chain abstraction tools.

Question 2

How does NEAR support AI agents?

Accepted Answer

NEAR is positioned as one of the leading Layer 1 blockchains for AI agents. It provides tools for building AI agents that can take blockchain actions, including the NEAR MCP Server, AI Cloud, Agent Skills, and Confidential Agent Hosting. With Chain Signatures and NEAR Intents, agents can hold assets and transact across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and other chains. Fast finality and low fees make NEAR a strong fit for AI-powered apps.

Question 3

What is GetBlock's NEAR RPC service?

Accepted Answer

GetBlock provides managed NEAR RPC nodes with high-availability endpoints for NEAR Mainnet and Testnet. Developers get instant access to the full NEAR JSON-RPC API without managing validator nodes or archival storage.

Question 4

Which wallets support NEAR RPC connections?

Accepted Answer

NEAR RPC connections work with NEAR-native wallets that support NEAR's account model. Standard Ethereum wallets like MetaMask are also supported through NEP-518, which lets users sign NEAR transactions from any EVM-compatible wallet.

Question 5

What data can NEAR RPC nodes access?

Accepted Answer

NEAR RPC endpoints can return account info, access keys, transaction status and receipts, blocks, chunks, contract code and state, view-function results, gas prices, validator and network status, congestion data, and light-client proofs. Archival nodes are needed for older history and larger historical state.

Question 6

How do I connect to NEAR RPC?

Accepted Answer

Connect by sending JSON-RPC 2.0 POST requests to an endpoint, with the method name in the URL. NEAR provides official API libraries for JavaScript, Rust, and Python. The endpoint URL determines which network you are targeting.

Question 7

What are common NEAR RPC methods?

Accepted Answer

Methods like query, send_tx, gas_price, and tx are typically the most frequently used. They power the core workflow of reading blockchain data, submitting transactions, and tracking transaction outcomes.

Question 8

Does NEAR RPC support real-time data streaming?

Accepted Answer

For real-time data, NEAR provides streaming infrastructure via the NEAR Indexer that processes blocks and transactions as they are produced. For lighter polling, applications can call block and status methods at short intervals to detect new blocks and state changes.

Question 9

What is the NEAR network identifier?

Accepted Answer

Native NEAR Protocol uses string identifiers: "mainnet" for production and "testnet" for development – not numeric Chain IDs. NEAR's EVM-compatible endpoints use 397 (mainnet) and 398 (testnet). Project Aurora, NEAR's EVM compatibility layer, uses its own Chain IDs – 1313161554 for mainnet and 1313161555 for testnet.

Question 10

Does NEAR have a block explorer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. There are several block explorers that support NEAR. They provide charts, show transactions, blocks, accounts, smart contracts, validator activity, and NEAR Intents usage stats for mainnet and testnet.

Architecture & Consensus Model	Sharded Layer 1 with Thresholded Proof-of-Stake
Launch Date	April 22, 2020
Average Block Time	~600 milliseconds
Throughput (TPS)	~4,000 TPS max; scalable to 1 million TPS
Gas Token	NEAR
Smart Contract Support	Yes
Programming Languages	Rust, JavaScript, Python, Go
Notable Use Cases	Agentic economy, cross-chain payments, DeFi, consumer apps
Chain ID	None
Data Availability	Native
State Validation	Native
Sequencer / Block Proposer	No
Network Type	Public
Transaction Privacy	Opt-in, via Confidential Intents
Transaction Ordering	Block producer–determined

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