--- title: Backend API libraries description: An introduction to the Ethereum client APIs that let you interact with the blockchain from your application. lang: en --- In order for a software application to interact with the [Ethereum](/) blockchain (i.e., read blockchain data and/or send transactions to the network), it must connect to an Ethereum node. For this purpose, every Ethereum client implements the [JSON-RPC](/developers/docs/apis/json-rpc/) specification, so there is a uniform set of [methods](/developers/docs/apis/json-rpc/#json-rpc-methods) that applications can rely on. If you want to use a specific programming language to connect with an Ethereum node, there are many convenience libraries within the ecosystem that make this much easier. With these libraries, developers can write intuitive, one-line methods to initialize JSON-RPC requests (under the hood) that interact with Ethereum. ## Prerequisites {#prerequisites} It might be helpful to understand the [Ethereum stack](/developers/docs/ethereum-stack/) and [Ethereum clients](/developers/docs/nodes-and-clients/). ## Why use a library? {#why-use-a-library} These libraries abstract away much of the complexity of interacting directly with an Ethereum node. They also provide utility functions (e.g., converting ETH to Gwei) so as a developer you can spend less time dealing with the intricacies of Ethereum clients and more time focused on the unique functionality of your application. ## Available libraries {#available-libraries} ### Infrastructure and node services {#infrastructure-and-node-services} **Alchemy -** **_Ethereum Development Platform._** - [alchemy.com](https://www.alchemy.com/) - [Documentation](https://www.alchemy.com/docs/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/alchemyplatform) - [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/alchemyplatform) **All That Node -** **_Node-as-a-Service._** - [All That Node.com](https://www.allthatnode.com/) - [Documentation](https://docs.allthatnode.com) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/GmcdVEUbJM) **Blast by Bware Labs -** **_Decentralized APIs for Ethereum Mainnet and Testnets._** - [blastapi.io](https://blastapi.io/) - [Documentation](https://docs.blastapi.io) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/SaRqmRUjjQ) **BlockPi -** **_Provide more efficient and fast RPC services_** - [blockpi.io](https://blockpi.io/) - [Documentation](https://docs.blockpi.io/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/BlockPILabs) - [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/xTvGVrGVZv) **Cloudflare Ethereum Gateway.** - [cloudflare-eth.com](https://www.cloudflare.com/application-services/products/web3/) **Etherscan - Block Explorer and Transaction APIs** - [Documentation](https://docs.etherscan.io/) **Blockscout - Open Source Block Explorer** - [Documentation](https://docs.blockscout.com/) **GetBlock-** **_Blockchain-as-a-service for Web3 development_** - [GetBlock.io](https://getblock.io/) - [Documentation](https://docs.getblock.io/) **Infura -** **_The Ethereum API as a service._** - [infura.io](https://infura.io) - [Documentation](https://docs.infura.io/api) - [GitHub](https://github.com/INFURA) **Node RPC - _Cost-effective EVM JSON-RPC provider_** - [noderpc.xyz](https://www.noderpc.xyz/) - [Documentation](https://docs.noderpc.xyz/node-rpc) **NOWNodes - _Full Nodes and Block Explorers._** - [NOWNodes.io](https://nownodes.io/) - [Documentation](https://nownodes.gitbook.io/documentation) **QuickNode -** **_Blockchain Infrastructure as a Service._** - [quicknode.com](https://quicknode.com) - [Documentation](https://www.quicknode.com/docs/welcome) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/quicknode) **Rivet -** **_Ethereum and Ethereum Classic APIs as a service powered by open source software._** - [rivet.cloud](https://rivet.cloud) - [Documentation](https://rivet.cloud/docs/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/openrelayxyz/ethercattle-deployment) **Zmok -** **_Speed-oriented Ethereum nodes as JSON-RPC/WebSockets API._** - [zmok.io](https://zmok.io/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/zmok-io) - [Documentation](https://docs.zmok.io/) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/fAHeh3ka6s) ### Development tools {#development-tools} **ethers-kt -** **_Async, high-performance Kotlin/Java/Android library for EVM-based blockchains._** - [GitHub](https://github.com/Kr1ptal/ethers-kt) - [Examples](https://github.com/Kr1ptal/ethers-kt/tree/master/examples) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/rx35NzQGSb) **Nethereum -** **_An open source .NET integration library for blockchain._** - [GitHub](https://github.com/Nethereum/Nethereum) - [Documentation](https://docs.nethereum.com/docs/getting-started/welcome/) - [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/jQPrR58FxX) **Python Tooling -** **_Variety of libraries for Ethereum interaction via Python._** - [py.ethereum.org](https://snakecharmers.ethereum.org/) - [web3.py GitHub](https://github.com/ethereum/web3.py) - [web3.py Chat](https://gitter.im/ethereum/web3.py) **Tatum -** **_The ultimate blockchain development platform._** - [Tatum](https://tatum.io/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/tatumio/) - [Documentation](https://docs.tatum.io/) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/EDmW3kjTC9) **web3j -** **_A Java/Android/Kotlin/Scala integration library for Ethereum._** - [GitHub](https://github.com/web3j/web3j) - [Docs](https://docs.web3j.io/) - [Gitter](https://gitter.im/web3j/web3j) ### Blockchain services {#blockchain-services} **BlockCypher -** **_Ethereum Web APIs._** - [blockcypher.com](https://www.blockcypher.com/) - [Documentation](https://www.blockcypher.com/dev/ethereum/) **Chainbase -** **_All-in-one web3 data infrastructure for Ethereum._** - [chainbase.com](https://chainbase.com/) - [Documentation](https://docs.chainbase.com/) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/Wx6qpqz4AF) **Chainstack -** **_Elastic and dedicated Ethereum nodes as a service._** - [chainstack.com](https://chainstack.com) - [Documentation](https://docs.chainstack.com/) - [Ethereum API reference](https://docs.chainstack.com/reference/ethereum-getting-started) **Coinbase Cloud Node -** **_Blockchain Infrastructure API._** - [Coinbase Cloud Node](https://www.coinbase.com/developer-platform) - [Documentation](https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/) **DataHub by Figment -** **_Web3 API services with Ethereum Mainnet and testnets._** - [DataHub](https://www.figment.io/) - [Documentation](https://docs.figment.io/) **Moralis -** **_Enterprise-Grade EVM API Provider._** - [moralis.io](https://moralis.io) - [Documentation](https://docs.moralis.io/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/MoralisWeb3) - [Discord](https://moralis.io/joindiscord/) - [Forum](https://forum.moralis.io/) **NFTPort -** **_Ethereum Data and Mint APIs._** - [nftport.xyz](https://www.nftport.xyz/) - [Documentation](https://docs.nftport.xyz/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/nftport/) - [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/K8nNrEgqhE) **Tokenview -** **_The General Multi-Crypto Blockchain APIs Platform._** - [services.tokenview.io](https://services.tokenview.io/) - [Documentation](https://services.tokenview.io/docs?type=api) - [GitHub](https://github.com/Tokenview) **Watchdata -** **_Provide simple and reliable API access to Ethereum blockchain._** - [Watchdata](https://watchdata.io/) - [Documentation](https://docs.watchdata.io/) - [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/TZRJbZ6bdn) **Codex -** **_Real-time, enriched blockchain data API across dozens of chains._** - [codex.io](https://www.codex.io/) - [Documentation](https://docs.codex.io) - [Explorer](https://docs.codex.io/explore) - [GitHub](https://github.com/Codex-Data) - [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/mFpUhT3vAq) **Covalent -** **_Enriched blockchain APIs for 200+ Chains._** - [covalenthq.com](https://www.covalenthq.com/) - [Documentation](https://www.covalenthq.com/docs/api/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/covalenthq) - [Discord](https://www.covalenthq.com/discord/) ## Further reading {#further-reading} _Know of a community resource that helped you? Edit this page and add it!_ ## Related topics {#related-topics} - [Nodes and clients](/developers/docs/nodes-and-clients/) - [Development frameworks](/developers/docs/frameworks/) ## Related tutorials {#related-tutorials} - [Set up Web3js to use the Ethereum blockchain in JavaScript](/developers/tutorials/set-up-web3js-to-use-ethereum-in-javascript/) _– Instructions for getting web3.js set up in your project._ - [Calling a smart contract from JavaScript](/developers/tutorials/calling-a-smart-contract-from-javascript/) _– Using the DAI token, see how to call contracts function using JavaScript._