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what is blockscout fr?

blockscout/blockscout — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-26

4,527ElixirAudience · ops devopsComplexity · 4/5LicenseSetup · hard

tl;dr

An open-source blockchain explorer you can self-host to search transactions, wallet balances, and smart contracts on Ethereum-compatible networks, like Etherscan but running on your own infrastructure.

vibe map

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Browse transactions
      View wallet balances
      Inspect contracts
    Tech Stack
      Elixir backend
      Docker deploy
      Kubernetes
    Supported Chains
      Ethereum mainnet
      Optimism
      Layer 2 networks
    Use Cases
      Private chain explorer
      L2 launch explorer
      Blockchain auditing

Code map

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filefunction / class

what do people make with this?

VIBE 1

Run a branded blockchain explorer for a private Ethereum network or new Layer 2 chain.

VIBE 2

Let users of your blockchain project search transactions and wallet balances without relying on Etherscan.

VIBE 3

Audit smart contract activity on a test network during development and staging.

what's the stack?

ElixirDockerKubernetes

how it stacks up fr

blockscout/blockscoutelixirschool/elixirschoollivebook-dev/livebook
Stars4,5273,6635,783
LanguageElixirElixirElixir
Setup difficultyhardeasyeasy
Complexity4/51/53/5
Audienceops devopsdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

how do i run it?

Difficulty · hard time til it works · 1day+

Requires Docker or Kubernetes and a running Ethereum-compatible RPC node, review the Blockscout Software Licence before commercial use.

Uses the Blockscout Software Licence, not a standard open-source licence, review the full licence terms on the project website before commercial deployment.

in plain english

Blockscout is an open-source tool for browsing and inspecting activity on Ethereum-compatible blockchains. If you have ever used Etherscan to look up a transaction or wallet balance, Blockscout does the same thing, but as a self-hostable, open codebase rather than a closed commercial service. It gives anyone the ability to run their own blockchain explorer. The tool covers a wide range of networks. Beyond the main Ethereum network, it works with Optimism, Gnosis Chain, various test networks, private chains, and what are called L2s (layer-two networks that sit on top of Ethereum to reduce costs and increase speed). The project lists several hundred supported chains in total, spanning ecosystems like Cosmos, Polkadot, and Avalanche. What you can do with it: search for specific transactions by their ID, view the history and current balance of any wallet address, and read or interact with smart contracts (self-executing programs stored on the blockchain). It is built for anyone who needs to audit, verify, or simply understand what is happening on a given blockchain network. Blockscout is aimed at teams running their own blockchain infrastructure, whether that is a startup building on a private Ethereum network, a project launching a new L2, or a public chain that wants its own branded explorer. Deployment options include Docker containers, Kubernetes clusters, and manual server setup, all documented in the project's external documentation site. The project is licensed under the Blockscout Software Licence, not a standard open-source licence, so teams planning commercial use should review the full licence terms before deploying it. The code is written in Elixir, a programming language designed for building reliable, high-traffic systems.

prompts (copy fr)

prompt 1
I'm launching a private Ethereum L2. Give me the Docker Compose configuration to run Blockscout as my chain explorer connected to my RPC node.
prompt 2
Show me the environment variables Blockscout requires to connect to a custom EVM-compatible chain, including RPC endpoint and chain ID.
prompt 3
What does the Blockscout Software Licence allow versus restrict compared to a standard open-source licence? Summarise the key commercial restrictions.
prompt 4
I want to deploy Blockscout on Kubernetes. What are the main components I need to configure and what external dependencies does it require?

Frequently asked questions

what is blockscout fr?

An open-source blockchain explorer you can self-host to search transactions, wallet balances, and smart contracts on Ethereum-compatible networks, like Etherscan but running on your own infrastructure.

What language is blockscout written in?

Mainly Elixir. The stack also includes Elixir, Docker, Kubernetes.

What license does blockscout use?

Uses the Blockscout Software Licence, not a standard open-source licence, review the full licence terms on the project website before commercial deployment.

How hard is blockscout to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated hard, with roughly 1day+ to a first successful run.

Who is blockscout for?

Mainly ops devops.

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