chain_subscribeNewHeads - Mythos RPC Method
Subscribe to new block headers on Mythos. Real-time WebSocket notifications for every new block as it is produced — essential for monitoring, indexing, and event-driven applications on the gaming blockchain powering FIFA Rivals and NFL Rivals with World ID verification.
Subscribe to receive notifications when new block headers are produced on Mythos. This WebSocket subscription provides real-time, push-based updates for each new block, making it more efficient than polling.
Why Mythos? Build on the gaming blockchain powering FIFA Rivals and NFL Rivals with World ID verification with World ID proof-of-humanity, Polkadot security, Snowbridge cross-chain bridge, and 1M+ downloads per title.
When to Use This Method
chain_subscribeNewHeads is essential for game studios, player-driven economy builders, and teams requiring verified human-only gameplay:
- Block Monitoring — Track new blocks in real time on Mythos for AAA gaming (FIFA Rivals, NFL Rivals, Pudgy Party), player-owned economies, and bot-resistant matchmaking
- Event Indexing — Trigger processing pipelines when new blocks arrive
- Chain Synchronization — Keep external databases and systems in sync with the chain
- Dashboard Updates — Push live block data to monitoring dashboards
Code Examples
# WebSocket subscription (requires wscat or similar tool)
wscat -c wss://api-mythos-archive.n.dwellir.com/YOUR_API_KEY -x '{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "chain_subscribeNewHeads",
"params": [],
"id": 1
}'Common Use Cases
1. Real-Time Block Indexer
Index new blocks and their events on Mythos as they arrive:
async function indexBlocks(api, onBlock) {
const unsub = await api.rpc.chain.subscribeNewHeads(async (header) => {
const blockHash = header.hash;
const [block, events] = await Promise.all([
api.rpc.chain.getBlock(blockHash),
api.query.system.events.at(blockHash)
]);
const blockData = {
number: header.number.toNumber(),
hash: blockHash.toHex(),
parentHash: header.parentHash.toHex(),
extrinsicCount: block.block.extrinsics.length,
eventCount: events.length,
timestamp: Date.now()
};
await onBlock(blockData);
});
return unsub;
}2. Block Production Monitor
Detect block production delays on Mythos:
async function monitorBlockProduction(api, expectedBlockTimeMs = 6000) {
let lastBlockTime = Date.now();
const threshold = expectedBlockTimeMs * 3;
const unsub = await api.rpc.chain.subscribeNewHeads((header) => {
const now = Date.now();
const elapsed = now - lastBlockTime;
if (elapsed > threshold) {
console.warn(
`Block #${header.number}: ${elapsed}ms since last block (expected ~${expectedBlockTimeMs}ms)`
);
} else {
console.log(`Block #${header.number}: ${elapsed}ms`);
}
lastBlockTime = now;
});
return unsub;
}3. Live Dashboard Feed
Stream block data to a WebSocket-connected frontend:
async function streamToClients(api, wss) {
const unsub = await api.rpc.chain.subscribeNewHeads(async (header) => {
const message = JSON.stringify({
type: 'new_block',
number: header.number.toNumber(),
hash: header.hash.toHex(),
parentHash: header.parentHash.toHex(),
stateRoot: header.stateRoot.toHex()
});
wss.clients.forEach((client) => {
if (client.readyState === 1) {
client.send(message);
}
});
});
return unsub;
}Subscription vs Polling
| Approach | Latency | Resource Usage | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
subscribeNewHeads | Immediate | Low (push-based) | Real-time monitoring, indexing |
Polling getHeader | Block time + poll interval | Higher (repeated requests) | Simple integrations, HTTP-only |
Error Handling
| Error Code | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| -32603 | Internal error | Node may be syncing — retry connection |
| -32601 | Method not found | Verify the node supports WebSocket subscriptions |
| -32005 | Rate limit exceeded | Reduce subscription count per connection |
| Connection closed | WebSocket disconnected | Implement automatic reconnection with backoff |
Related Methods
chain_subscribeFinalizedHeads— Subscribe to finalized blocks only (for irreversible state)chain_getHeader— Get a specific block header by hashchain_getBlock— Get full block data with extrinsicschain_unsubscribeNewHeads— Unsubscribe from new heads
chain_getHeader
Get block header on Mythos. Lightweight alternative to chain_getBlock for reading block metadata, parent hash, and state root on the gaming blockchain powering FIFA Rivals and NFL Rivals with World ID verification.
chain_subscribeFinalizedHeads
Subscribe to finalized block headers on Mythos. Real-time WebSocket notifications for blocks that have achieved GRANDPA finality — essential for exchanges, bridges, and applications requiring irreversibility on the gaming blockchain powering FIFA Rivals and NFL Rivals with World ID verification.