build // Bitcoin · Infrastructure

Regtest Block Explorer

Index recent blocks and txs for a private chain. Pages for block, tx, and address with mempool pending list.

Intermediate2 weeks

Overview

Explorers turn opaque hex into something humans can audit. Ship a focused web UI over regtest or an Esplora-compatible API.

Prefer clarity over novelty - explorers are trust surfaces. Show units clearly (BTC vs sats), distinguish confirmed vs mempool state, and link related entities (block ↔ tx ↔ address).

Required pages

Home - latest blocks and fee overview
Block - height, hash, tx count, merkle root, tx list
Transaction - inputs, outputs, fee, confirmation status
Search - lookup by txid, block hash, or address

Learning objectives

Fetch and display recent blocks and transactions
Render transaction details from raw or API data
Show basic mempool / fee snapshots in a web UI

Prerequisites

Regtest CLI Wallet
Blocks & Chain
Mempool & Fees

Required skills

Next.jsEsplora or RPC indexingTransaction decoding

Part of the bitcoin roadmap.

Architecture diagram

UI (Next.js) ──► Explorer API / Esplora ──► Bitcoin Core

Requirements

Navigable home, block, transaction, and search views
Works on desktop and mobile widths
Clear confirmed vs mempool state
Documented how to point at regtest Esplora or equivalent
Loading and error states for missing txids / offline API

Stretch goals

Mempool fee histogram or fee-rate bands on the home page
Address page with UTXO and history summaries
Live tip updates via polling or SSE
Dark/light theme toggle that preserves explorer readability

Recommended resources

Example repositories

mempool/mempool
Production Bitcoin explorer UX and mempool visualization patterns.
Blockstream Esplora
API + UI reference for electrs-backed explorers.

Submission instructions

Publish the explorer UI repository with screenshots
Document the backend (Esplora, Core RPC proxy, or mock fixtures)
Demo search for block hash, txid, and a known miss (404)
Include a short loom/GIF walking home → block → transaction

Discussion

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