> 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/ethereum-eth/debug_traceblock-ethereum.md).

# debug\_traceBlock - Ethereum

This method traces the execution of every transaction in a block, given the block's RLP-encoded bytes. Returns per-transaction execution traces including internal calls, state changes, and opcode-level operations depending on the tracer used. The RLP-input variant is useful for tracing hypothetical blocks not present in the local chain. Requires the `debug` module (Dedicated Node tier).

## Parameters

| Parameter       | Type   | Required | Description                                                         |
| --------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `blockRlp`      | string | Yes      | Hex-encoded RLP of the block to trace                               |
| `tracerOptions` | object | No       | Trace configuration — `{tracer, timeout, tracerConfig}` (see below) |

### Tracer Options

| Field          | Type   | Required | Description                                                                                             |
| -------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `tracer`       | string | No       | Tracer name — `callTracer`, `prestateTracer`, `4byteTracer`, `opcodeTracer`, or a JS/WASM tracer script |
| `timeout`      | string | No       | Trace timeout as a duration string (`10s`, `1m`). Defaults to `5s`                                      |
| `tracerConfig` | object | No       | Tracer-specific configuration passed to the tracer                                                      |

## Request

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="cURL" %}
{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl --location --request POST 'https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "debug_traceBlock",
    "params": [
        "0xf90211a0abcd...",
        {
            "tracer": "callTracer"
        }
    ],
    "id": "getblock.io"
}'
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Axios" %}
{% code title="example.js" %}

```javascript
const axios = require('axios');

const response = await axios.post('https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/', {
    jsonrpc: '2.0',
    method: 'debug_traceBlock',
    params: [
        "0xf90211a0abcd...",
        {
            "tracer": "callTracer"
        }
    ],
    id: 'getblock.io'
}, {
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }
});

console.log(response.data.result);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Request" %}
{% code title="example.py" %}

```python
import requests

response = requests.post(
    'https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/',
    headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
    json={
        'jsonrpc': '2.0',
        'method': 'debug_traceBlock',
        'params': [
        "0xf90211a0abcd...",
        {
            "tracer": "callTracer"
        }
    ],
        'id': 'getblock.io'
    }
)

print(response.json())
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Rust" %}
{% code title="example.rs" %}

```rust
use reqwest::Client;
use serde_json::{json, Value};

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let client = Client::new();
    
    let response = client
        .post("https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/")
        .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
        .json(&json!({
            "jsonrpc": "2.0",
            "method": "debug_traceBlock",
            "params": [
        "0xf90211a0abcd...",
        {
            "tracer": "callTracer"
        }
    ],
            "id": "getblock.io"
        }))
        .send()
        .await?
        .json::<Value>()
        .await?;
    
    println!("Result: {}", response["result"]);
    Ok(())
}
```

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

## Response

```json
{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "id": "getblock.io",
    "result": [
        {
            "type": "CALL",
            "from": "0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045",
            "to": "0xC02aaA39b223FE8D0A0e5C4F27eAD9083C756Cc2",
            "value": "0x0",
            "gas": "0x186a0",
            "gasUsed": "0x8ba0",
            "input": "0x70a08231000000000000000000000000d8da6bf26964af9d7eed9e03e53415d37aa96045",
            "output": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000de0b6b3a7640000",
            "calls": []
        }
    ]
}
```

## Response Parameters

| Parameter | Type   | Description                                                        |
| --------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `jsonrpc` | string | JSON-RPC protocol version ("2.0")                                  |
| `id`      | string | Request identifier matching the request                            |
| `result`  | array  | Array of per-transaction traces — shape depends on the tracer used |

## Use Cases

* **Historical Block Replay**: Trace hypothetical blocks (e.g. from another fork) for what-if analysis
* **Consensus-Client Testing**: Feed hand-crafted RLP blocks into a tracer to test EVM implementations
* **Analytics Backfill**: Trace blocks captured from a peer's gossip to reconstruct execution history

## Error Handling

| Error Code | Message          | Description                                               |
| ---------- | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| -32601     | Method not found | `debug` module not enabled — Dedicated Node tier required |
| -32602     | Invalid params   | Block RLP is malformed or tracer options are invalid      |
| -32603     | Internal error   | Node failed to execute the trace                          |

## Web3 Integration

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Ethers.js" %}
{% code title="ethers-example.js" %}

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

const provider = new ethers.JsonRpcProvider('https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/');

const traces = await provider.send('debug_traceBlock', [
    '0xf90211a0abcd...',  // RLP-encoded block
    { tracer: 'callTracer' }
]);
console.log('Traces:', traces.length);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Viem" %}
{% code title="viem-example.js" %}

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

const client = createPublicClient({
    chain: mainnet,
    transport: http('https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/'),
});

const traces = await client.request({
    method: 'debug_traceBlock',
    params: ['0xf90211a0abcd...', { tracer: 'callTracer' }],
});
console.log('Traces:', traces.length);
```

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


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.getblock.io/api-reference/ethereum-eth/debug_traceblock-ethereum.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
