# Explorer v2 API

The `Explorer API` basically serves the same purpose as the `HTTP API`, but the difference is the data that Explorer API returns is more presentable and complete, while the `HTTP API` is more suited in terms of fetching individual data items.

There is also a minor difference in the way the two APIs communicate with the nodes to fetch the on-chain data.

It is recommended that the HTTP API be used when initiating and transmitting transactions to the chain.

The `Explorer API` also with a online platform that can fetch transaction related information using the web browser. It works with the transaction that have taken place on both the `testnet` and the `mainnet`. The website can be accessed using this link - <https://explorer.ont.io/>

## Query Format

### URL Request Parameter Specification

#### Multiple URL parameters are connected using underscores

`/v2/blocks?page_size=10&page_number=1`

* **Page Parameters**

|   Parameter  | Description                          |
| :----------: | ------------------------------------ |
|  page\_size  | Number of records per page \[1 - 20] |
| page\_number | Total number of pages \[ >= 1 ]      |

* **Time Parameters**

|  Parameter  | Description                 |
| :---------: | --------------------------- |
| start\_time | Start time (UNIX timestamp) |
|  end\_time  | End time (UNIX timestamp)   |

{% hint style="info" %}
The maximum valid time range is **one week.**
{% endhint %}

### Response Codes

#### HTTP Status Codes

|         Status Code         | Description                                                               |
| :-------------------------: | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|     200 (Normal Request)    | Successful response                                                       |
|      400 (Bad Request)      | Server could not process the request, likely due to an invalid parameters |
| 500 (Internal Server Error) | Unexpected server issue                                                   |

#### Response DTO

The response **DTO** is a status object that is always included in the JSON response payload for both successful and failed calls. When errors occur you may refer to the `code` and `msg` fields that are part of the status object.

```javascript
{
  "code": 0, // 0 implies successful calls, !=0 implies failure
  "msg": "SUCCESS",
  "result": {}
}
```


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.ont.io/developer-tools/api/explorer-api.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.