view

Endpoint

POST /v1/view

Request Body

{
  "function": "0x1::coin::balance",
  "type_arguments": ["0x1::aptos_coin::AptosCoin"],
  "arguments": ["0x1"]
}

Response

[
  "0x... or value depending on function"
]

Code Examples

curl -s -X POST "https://api-aptos-mainnet.n.dwellir.com/YOUR_API_KEY/v1/view" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"function":"0x1::coin::balance","type_arguments":["0x1::aptos_coin::AptosCoin"],"arguments":["0x1"]}'

Python example:

result = client.view_function(
    "0x1::coin::balance",
    ["0x1::aptos_coin::AptosCoin"],
    ["0x1"]
)
print(f"Balance: {result[0]}")

TypeScript example:

const result = await aptos.view({
  payload: {
    function: "0x1::coin::balance",
    typeArguments: ["0x1::aptos_coin::AptosCoin"],
    functionArguments: ["0x1"]
  }
});

Use Cases

View functions enable efficient read-only blockchain queries:

1. Balance Queries: Check account balances without transaction overhead or gas costs.

2. State Inspection: Read contract state variables and computed values efficiently.

3. Validation Checks: Verify conditions before transaction submission to prevent failed transactions.

4. UI Data Fetching: Power application UIs with real-time blockchain data without polling full resources.

5. Price Feeds: Query DEX prices, oracle data, or computed values for display or trading logic.

6. Permission Checks: Verify user permissions or capabilities before allowing operations.

Best Practices

Function Visibility: Only functions marked public fun or public entry fun with #[view] attribute can be called via this endpoint.

Gas-Free: View functions don't consume gas or require signatures, making them ideal for frequent queries.

Type Arguments: Provide full type paths including generics for functions requiring type parameters.

Argument Encoding: Arguments are passed as JSON values and automatically BCS-encoded by the API.

Caching: View function results reflect current state. Cache appropriately based on how frequently the underlying state changes.

Ledger Version: Optionally specify a ledger_version query parameter to query historical state at specific points in time.

Performance Considerations

View functions execute directly in the Move VM without consensus or state commitment overhead. Response times are typically 20-100ms depending on function complexity.

Simple reads complete in 20-50ms, while complex computations may take 100-200ms. View functions are significantly faster than full transaction simulation for read operations.

For frequently accessed data, consider implementing client-side caching with TTLs based on block time (4-5 seconds on mainnet).