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Using the Blockchain Explorer

Chain Explorer

BlockchainExplorer in hierachain/api/blockchain_explorer.py returns dashboard data as JSON. A web view can use this data to display chain activity and verification results.

1. Explorer Components

The rendered data can include these four components:

  • Chain Overview Component (chain_overview): Displays block height, event counts across Main-Chain and Sub-Chains, and recent activity.
  • Entity Tracer Component (entity_tracer): Searches for an entity ID and shows related blocks and events.
  • Event Analytics Component (event_analytics): Shows event counts by type, an hourly timeline for the last 24 hours based on Main-Chain blocks, and total event counts by chain.
  • Proof Visualizer Component (proof_visualizer): Shows recent proof submissions, a validation summary, and the block hierarchy for Main-Chain and Sub-Chains.

IPFS Features in the Explorer

The Explorer supports visualizing data stored off-chain:

  • Data Detection: Displays badges for events stored on IPFS.

    • Yellow: Unresolved CID data.
    • Green: Data has been fetched and decrypted (Resolved).

  • Data Loading: The current "Load Details" handler requests block data with resolve_cid=true, but reads a top-level details field. The blocks endpoint returns resolved records inside blocks, so this handler does not display those event details.

  • Decryption: When IPFS is enabled, the API can resolve and decrypt details in block responses. The current Explorer handler does not render those resolved details.

2. Render the Dashboard via API

Developers can integrate the Dashboard directly into their Server-side Rendering:

from hierachain.api.blockchain_explorer import BlockchainExplorer

# Attach the module to the existing Core structure
explorer = BlockchainExplorer(chain=my_hierarchy_manager_instance)

# Render a full dashboard page containing Chain Overview, Entity Tracer, Event Analytics
dashboard_data = explorer.render()

# Or render just the "Entity Tracer" section
tracer_form_ui = explorer.render(component_id="entity_tracer")

The returned JSON lets front-end developers (React/Vue/HTML5) render cards with metrics and related blocks.