eth_protocolVersion - Tempo RPC Method
Get the current Ethereum protocol version on Tempo. Useful for client compatibility checks and identifying version-gated features.
Returns the current Ethereum protocol version used by the Tempo node.
Why Tempo? Build on a payments-first EVM chain with deterministic settlement and stablecoin-native fees with no native gas token, fees denominated in supported USD stablecoins, and full EVM RPC compatibility.
When to Use This Method
eth_protocolVersion is useful for payment application developers, wallet teams, stablecoin issuers, and treasury automation builders:
- Client Compatibility — Verify that a node supports the protocol version your application requires
- Version-Gated Features — Enable or disable features based on the protocol version (e.g., EIP-1559 support)
- Multi-Client Environments — Ensure consistent protocol versions across a fleet of nodes
- Debugging — Diagnose issues caused by protocol version mismatches between clients
Request Parameters
This method accepts no parameters.
Response Body
The current Ethereum protocol version as a string (e.g., "0x41" for protocol version 65)
Error Responses
Code Examples
curl -X POST https://api-tempo-mainnet.n.dwellir.com/YOUR_API_KEY \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "eth_protocolVersion",
"params": [],
"id": 1
}'Common Use Cases
1. Node Compatibility Check
Verify protocol version before enabling features:
async function checkCompatibility(provider, minVersion) {
const result = await provider.send('eth_protocolVersion', []);
const version = parseInt(result, 16);
if (version >= minVersion) {
console.log(`Node supports required protocol version ${minVersion}`);
return true;
} else {
console.warn(`Node protocol version ${version} is below required ${minVersion}`);
return false;
}
}2. Multi-Node Version Audit
Check protocol consistency across a fleet of Tempo nodes:
async function auditNodeVersions(endpoints) {
const results = await Promise.all(
endpoints.map(async (endpoint) => {
const provider = new JsonRpcProvider(endpoint);
const [protocolVersion, clientVersion] = await Promise.all([
provider.send('eth_protocolVersion', []),
provider.send('web3_clientVersion', [])
]);
return {
endpoint,
protocolVersion: parseInt(protocolVersion, 16),
clientVersion
};
})
);
const versions = new Set(results.map(r => r.protocolVersion));
if (versions.size > 1) {
console.warn('Protocol version mismatch detected across nodes');
}
return results;
}3. Feature Detection
Enable features based on the protocol version:
async function getNodeCapabilities(provider) {
try {
const version = parseInt(await provider.send('eth_protocolVersion', []), 16);
return {
protocolVersion: version,
supportsEIP1559: version >= 65,
supportsSnapSync: version >= 66
};
} catch {
// Some clients (e.g., post-Merge) may not support this method
return { protocolVersion: null, supportsEIP1559: true, supportsSnapSync: true };
}
}Error Handling
Common errors and solutions:
| Error Code | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| -32601 | Method not found | Some post-Merge clients no longer support this method |
| -32603 | Internal error | Node may be initializing — retry after delay |
| -32005 | Rate limit exceeded | Reduce request frequency |
Related Methods
web3_clientVersion— Get the client software version stringnet_version— Get the network IDeth_chainId— Get the chain ID (EIP-155)
web3_sha3
Compute the Keccak-256 hash of given data on Tempo. Useful for hash verification, smart contract development, and data integrity checks.
rpc_modules
Inspect which JSON-RPC namespaces are enabled on your Tempo endpoint. Useful for capability checks, client diagnostics, and RPC feature discovery.