RPC Endpoint
A network address that lets apps send requests to a blockchain node to read data, submit transactions, or interact with smart contracts.
An RPC endpoint is a URL or network address that a wallet, dApp, script, or developer tool uses to communicate with a blockchain node. RPC stands for Remote Procedure Call, a standard way for software to ask another computer to perform an action and return a result. In Web3, that often means asking a node for a wallet balance, the latest block, transaction details, gas estimates, or sending a signed transaction to the network.
RPC endpoints matter because most users and applications do not run their own full blockchain infrastructure. Instead, they connect through endpoints provided by node operators, infrastructure services, or self-hosted nodes. For example, when a dApp checks whether you own an NFT, it may call an Ethereum RPC endpoint to query the blockchain. A public endpoint is like a shared customer service desk: convenient, but sometimes slower or rate-limited. A private or dedicated endpoint can offer more reliability, access control, and performance for production apps.
Other terms in Web3 & Development
Ethers.js
A JavaScript library that helps developers build apps that interact with Ethereum and other EVM-compatible blockchains.
Foundry
A fast Ethereum smart contract development toolkit used to build, test, debug, and deploy Solidity projects.
Full Node
A full node is software that stores and verifies a blockchain’s history and rules without relying on a third party.
Hardhat
A development framework for building, testing, debugging, and deploying Ethereum smart contracts and decentralized applications.