eth_blockNumber - Plasma RPC Method
Get the current block height on Plasma. Essential for syncing dApps, monitoring transaction confirmations, and blockchain state tracking.
Plasma RPC endpoint: endpoint URLs, plans and pricing.
Returns the number of the most recent block on Plasma.
Why Plasma? Build on an EVM Layer 1 for stablecoin payments with PlasmaBFT consensus and Reth execution with 1 second blocks, XPL gas, full EVM JSON-RPC, and debug plus txpool on Dwellir.
When to Use This Method
eth_blockNumber is fundamental for payment app developers, wallet teams, and teams shipping Solidity contracts for dollar transfers:
- Syncing Applications - Keep your dApp in sync with the latest Plasma blockchain state
- Transaction Monitoring - Verify confirmations by comparing block numbers
- Event Filtering - Set the correct block range for querying logs on stablecoin transfers, payment apps, and wallets that need 1 second confirmation
- Health Checks - Monitor node connectivity and sync status
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "eth_blockNumber",
"params": [],
"id": 1
}Code Examples
Common Use Cases
1. Block Confirmation Counter
Monitor transaction confirmations on Plasma:
async function getConfirmations(provider, txHash) {
const tx = await provider.getTransaction(txHash);
if (!tx || !tx.blockNumber) return 0;
const currentBlock = await provider.getBlockNumber();
return currentBlock - tx.blockNumber + 1;
}
// Wait for specific confirmations
async function waitForConfirmations(provider, txHash, confirmations = 6) {
let currentConfirmations = 0;
while (currentConfirmations < confirmations) {
currentConfirmations = await getConfirmations(provider, txHash);
console.log(`Confirmations: ${currentConfirmations}/${confirmations}`);
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));
}
return true;
}2. Event Log Filtering
Query events from recent blocks on Plasma:
async function getRecentEvents(provider, contract, eventName, blockRange = 100) {
const currentBlock = await provider.getBlockNumber();
const fromBlock = currentBlock - blockRange;
const filter = contract.filters[eventName]();
const events = await contract.queryFilter(filter, fromBlock, currentBlock);
return events;
}3. Node Health Monitoring
Check if your Plasma node is synced:
async function checkNodeHealth(provider) {
try {
const blockNumber = await provider.getBlockNumber();
const block = await provider.getBlock(blockNumber);
const now = Date.now() / 1000;
const blockAge = now - block.timestamp;
if (blockAge > 60) {
console.warn(`Node may be behind. Last block was ${blockAge}s ago`);
return false;
}
console.log(`Node healthy. Latest block: ${blockNumber}`);
return true;
} catch (error) {
console.error('Node unreachable:', error);
return false;
}
}Performance Optimization
Caching Strategy
Cache block numbers to reduce API calls:
class BlockNumberCache {
constructor(ttl = 2000) {
this.cache = null;
this.timestamp = 0;
this.ttl = ttl;
}
async get(provider) {
const now = Date.now();
if (this.cache && (now - this.timestamp) < this.ttl) {
return this.cache;
}
this.cache = await provider.getBlockNumber();
this.timestamp = now;
return this.cache;
}
invalidate() {
this.cache = null;
this.timestamp = 0;
}
}
const blockCache = new BlockNumberCache();Batch Requests
Combine with other calls for efficiency:
const batch = [
{ jsonrpc: '2.0', method: 'eth_blockNumber', params: [], id: 1 },
{ jsonrpc: '2.0', method: 'eth_gasPrice', params: [], id: 2 },
{ jsonrpc: '2.0', method: 'eth_chainId', params: [], id: 3 }
];
const response = await fetch('https://api-plasma-mainnet.n.dwellir.com/YOUR_API_KEY', {
method: 'POST',
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
body: JSON.stringify(batch)
});
const results = await response.json();Error Handling
Common errors and solutions:
| Error Code | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| -32603 | Internal error | Retry with exponential backoff |
| -32005 | Rate limit exceeded | Implement rate limiting client-side |
| -32000 | Execution reverted | Check node sync status |
async function safeGetBlockNumber(provider, maxRetries = 3) {
for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
try {
return await provider.getBlockNumber();
} catch (error) {
if (error.code === -32005) {
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, Math.pow(2, i) * 1000));
} else if (i === maxRetries - 1) {
throw error;
}
}
}
}Related Methods
eth_getBlockByNumber- Get full block details by numbereth_getBlockByHash- Get block details by hasheth_syncing- Check if node is still syncing
Plasma RPC with Dwellir
Plasma Mainnet Beta RPC endpoints, EVM JSON-RPC quickstarts, and integration guidance for stablecoin payment applications.
eth_getBlockByNumber
Retrieve complete block data by block number on Plasma. Perfect for payment app developers, wallet teams, and teams shipping Solidity contracts for dollar transfers building on an EVM Layer 1 for stablecoin payments with PlasmaBFT consensus and Reth execution.