> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.getblock.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.getblock.io/api-reference/avalanche-avax/eth_blocknumber-avax.md).

# eth\_blockNumber -AVAX

Returns the number of the most recent C-Chain block. Avalanche's sub-second finality means new blocks land roughly every 2 seconds — this is the standard way to poll for the chain tip.

## Parameters

* None

## Request Example

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="cURL" %}

```bash
curl --location --request POST 'https://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/ext/bc/C/rpc' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "eth_blockNumber",
    "params": [],
    "id": "getblock.io"
}'
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="JavaScript (Axios)" %}

```javascript
import axios from 'axios';

const data = JSON.stringify({
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "eth_blockNumber",
    "params": [],
    "id": "getblock.io"
});

const config = {
    method: 'post',
    url: 'https://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/ext/bc/C/rpc',
    headers: {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    data: data
};

axios(config)
    .then(response => console.log(JSON.stringify(response.data, null, 2)))
    .catch(error => console.log(error));
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Python (Requests)" %}

```python
import requests
import json

url = "https://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/ext/bc/C/rpc"

payload = json.dumps({
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "eth_blockNumber",
    "params": [],
    "id": "getblock.io"
})

headers = {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}

response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, data=payload)
print(response.text)
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Rust (Reqwest)" %}

```rust
use reqwest::Client;
use serde_json::json;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let client = Client::new();

    let payload = json!({
        "jsonrpc": "2.0",
        "method": "eth_blockNumber",
        "params": [],
        "id": "getblock.io"
});

    let response = client
        .post("https://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/ext/bc/C/rpc")
        .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
        .json(&payload)
        .send()
        .await?;

    let result: serde_json::Value = response.json().await?;
    println!("{:#?}", result);

    Ok(())
}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Response Example

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```json
{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "id": "getblock.io",
    "result": "0x44b8a3c"
}
```

{% endcode %}

## Response Parameters

| Field   | Type   | Description                        |
| ------- | ------ | ---------------------------------- |
| jsonrpc | string | JSON-RPC protocol version (`2.0`)  |
| id      | string | Request identifier echoed back     |
| result  | string | Latest block number in hexadecimal |

## Use Cases

* Polling for new blocks in indexers and explorers
* Determining the current chain tip before making other calls
* Health-checking the RPC endpoint

## Error Handling

| Status Code | Error Message     | Cause                                       |
| ----------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| 404         | Not Found         | Missing or invalid `<ACCESS-TOKEN>`         |
| -32602      | Invalid params    | Request parameters are missing or malformed |
| 429         | Too Many Requests | Rate limit exceeded for your plan           |

## SDK Integration

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Ethers.js" %}
{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```javascript
import { ethers } from 'ethers';

const provider = new ethers.JsonRpcProvider('https://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/ext/bc/C/rpc');

const blockNumber = await provider.getBlockNumber();
console.log('Latest block:', blockNumber);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Viem" %}
{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```javascript
import { createPublicClient, http } from 'viem';
import { avalanche } from 'viem/chains';

const client = createPublicClient({
    chain: avalanche,
    transport: http('https://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/ext/bc/C/rpc')
});

const blockNumber = await client.getBlockNumber();
console.log('Latest block:', blockNumber);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}