NowNodes is a Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform offering API access to over 50 blockchain networks. It allows developers to connect to full nodes and explore blockchains with minimal setup.

## Why Choose NowNodes?
- **Wide Blockchain Support:** Access popular blockchains like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, and more.
- **Free Tier Available:** Start for free with limited API requests.
- **Reliable Infrastructure:** High uptime and fast response times.


## Supported Blockchains
NowNodes supports over 50 blockchains, including:
- **Bitcoin (BTC)**
- **Ethereum (ETH)**
- **Binance Smart Chain (BSC)**
- **Polygon (MATIC)**
- **Dogecoin (DOGE)**

## Supported Protocols
- **JSON-RPC**: For comprehensive blockchain interaction.
- **REST**: Simplified HTTP-based requests.
- **WebSocket**: For real-time blockchain event subscriptions.



## **Getting Started with NowNodes API**

### 1. Sign Up and Get an API Key
- Register at [NowNodes.io](https://nownodes.io).
- Select the plan that fits your needs
- Generate an API key.

### 2. Configure Your Endpoint
Use the following base URLs for API requests:
- **Bitcoin Mainnet:**
  ```
  https://btc.nownodes.io/YOUR_API_KEY
  ```
- **Ethereum Mainnet:**
  ```
  https://eth.nownodes.io/YOUR_API_KEY
  ```

### 3. Example API Calls
#### JSON-RPC: Fetch the latest block number on Ethereum
```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "eth_blockNumber",
  "params": [],
  "id": 1
}
```

:::note[Info]

 To learn more about the NowNodes connection with Rootstock  click the button below:



:::

#### REST: Retrieve account balance on Bitcoin
```bash
GET https://btc.nownodes.io/v1/balance/your-address?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY
```



## **Make Your First Call**

### Step-by-Step Guide
1. Open a terminal or API client (e.g., Postman, curl).
2. Use the Bitcoin Mainnet endpoint as an example:
   ```bash
   https://btc.nownodes.io/v1/YOUR_API_KEY
   ```
3. Send a request to fetch the latest block hash:
   ```json
   {
     "jsonrpc": "1.0",
     "method": "getbestblockhash",
     "params": [],
     "id": "1"
   }
   ```
4. You’ll receive a response like this:
   ```json
   {
     "result": "0000000000000000000b1c5e6b6e7bcd9fa47b6d13a20b6eac03c76a66b4f3ad",
     "id": "1"
   }
   ```