net_listening - Ethereum

The net_listening method is part of the Ethereum JSON-RPC Core API and checks whether the Ethereum client is actively listening for network connections. It returns a boolean value.

The net_listening method checks if the Ethereum client is actively listening for network connections.

The net_listening method is part of the Ethereum JSON RPC Core API, used to determine whether the Ethereum client is actively listening for network connections. This method provides a simple boolean response, which is particularly useful for diagnosing network connectivity issues or verifying that the client is configured to accept connections

Supported Networks

The net_listening RPC Ethereum method supports the following network types:

• Mainnet

• Testnet: Sepolia, Holesky

Parameters

This method does not require any parameters. The request can be sent with an empty parameters array.

Request

URL (API Endpoint)

https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/

To make a request, send a JSON object with the jsonrpc, method, and params fields. Below is an example of how to make a request using curl:

curl

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

ws

wscat -c wss://eth.getblock.io/YOUR-API-KEY/ 
# wait for connection and send the request body 
{"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "net_listening",
"params": [],
"id": "getblock.io"}

Response

The server responds with a JSON object containing a boolean value indicating whether the client is listening for network connections. Below is an example of a typical response:

{
    "id": "getblock.io",
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "result": true
}

Response Description

• result: A boolean value that indicates whether the client is actively listening for network connections. true means the client is listening, and false means it is not.

Use Case

The net_listening method is particularly useful for developers and system administrators who need to verify the network status of their Ethereum node. For example, this method can help diagnose network connectivity issues or confirm that the client is ready to accept incoming connections. In case of a net_listening error, verify that the Ethereum client is running and properly configured to listen for connections. An example of correct usage is included in this documentation under the net_listening example.

Code Example

You can also make requests to the net_listening method programmatically using Python. Below is an example using the requests library:

Python

import requests
import json

# Define the API URL and access token
url = 'https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/'
headers = {'Content-Type': 'application/json'}

# Prepare the request data
data = {
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "net_listening",
    "params": [],
    "id": "getblock.io"
}

# Send the POST request
response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, data=json.dumps(data))

# Parse the JSON response
response_data = response.json()

# Print the result
print(json.dumps(response_data, indent=4))

JavaScript

const axios = require('axios'); 

const url = 'https://go.getblock.io/<ACCESS-TOKEN>/'; 

const data = {
  jsonrpc: '2.0',
  method: 'net_listening',
  params: [],
  id: 'getblock.io',
};

axios.post(url, data, {
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
})
  .then(response => {
    console.log('Response:', response.data);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.error('Error:', error);
  });

This Python script sends a request to the net_listening method and prints the returned boolean status. Make sure to replace <ACCESS-TOKEN> with your actual API token. The Web3 net_listening method is also available in Web3 libraries for Ethereum, providing developers with a convenient interface to check the network status.

The Ethereum net_listening method is an essential tool for diagnosing network issues and ensuring that the Ethereum client is actively accepting connections. This method is a key part of the Ethereum JSON RPC API and Core API Endpoints.