> 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/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api.md).

# Bitcoin Blockbook (WebSocket) API

GetBlock provides fast and reliable access to Bitcoin nodes via the Blockbook WebSocket API. Connect to the Bitcoin network without running your own infrastructure.

The Blockbook indexer WebSocket interface for Bitcoin: request/response queries (status, account info, UTXOs, transactions, broadcast, fee estimation) plus subscriptions to new blocks and address activity over a persistent connection.

Blockbook (REST) and Blockbook (WebSocket) are provisioned as separate interfaces with their own endpoint URLs. Enabling one does not enable the other. A project that watches an address as well as querying it needs both.

{% hint style="info" %}
Use WebSocket when subscriptions are required, and [REST](/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-rest-api.md) for one-off queries. A standard Bitcoin JSON-RPC endpoint does not support Blockbook methods.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
Blockbook (WebSocket) is available on **Mainnet only**. Blockbook (REST) is available on both Mainnet and Testnet, so a testnet integration polls REST in place of subscribing.
{% endhint %}

### Base URL

```bash
wss://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>
```

### Quickstart

Every request carries an `id` chosen by the client, a `method`, and a `params` object. The server echoes the same `id` on the matching response, so replies can be correlated on a multiplexed connection.

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

```bash
wscat -c wss://shared.eu-central-1.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>

# then send:
{
    "id": "getblock.io",
    "method": "getInfo",
    "params": {}
}
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="successful response" %}
{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
{
    "id": "getblock.io",
    "data": {
        "name": "Bitcoin",
        "shortcut": "BTC",
        "network": "BTC",
        "decimals": 8,
        "version": "unknown",
        "bestHeight": 967494,
        "bestHash": "00000000000000000000890e285e32408f9da4f2d58b620b5703839448b9c70c",
        "block0Hash": "000000000019d6689c085ae165831e934ff763ae46a2a6c172b3f1b60a8ce26f",
        "testnet": false,
        "backend": {
            "version": "310100",
            "subversion": "/Satoshi:31.1.0/"
        }
    }
}
```

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

### Methods

<table data-search="false"><thead><tr><th>Method</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/getinfo-bitcoin.md">getInfo</a></td><td>Indexer and backend status</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/getaccountinfo-bitcoin.md">getAccountInfo</a></td><td>Address or xpub balance and transaction history</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/getaccountutxo-bitcoin.md">getAccountUtxo</a></td><td>Unspent outputs for an address, xpub, or descriptor</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/gettransaction-bitcoin.md">getTransaction</a></td><td>Normalized transaction by txid</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/sendtransaction-bitcoin.md">sendTransaction</a></td><td>Broadcast a signed, serialized transaction</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/estimatefee-bitcoin.md">estimateFee</a></td><td>Fee estimate for one or more confirmation targets</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/subscribenewblock-bitcoin.md">subscribeNewBlock</a></td><td>Subscribe to new blocks as they are connected</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/api-reference/bitcoin-btc/bitcoin-blockbook-websocket-api/subscribeaddresses-bitcoin.md">subscribeAddresses</a></td><td>Subscribe to activity on a set of addresses</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Support

* Support: <support@getblock.io>