Before diving into code examples, it's important to understand the core differences between Etherscan and Infura.
- Etherscan:
- Primarily a block explorer and data provider. It offers read-only access to Ethereum blockchain data such as transaction histories, balances, token transfers, and more.
- Does not allow real-time interaction with the blockchain (e.g., sending transactions).
- Ideal for querying historical data and performing analytics on blockchain data.
- Infura:
- Provides full node access to the Ethereum network, allowing developers to interact with the blockchain in real-time.
- Supports read and write operations, such as sending transactions, deploying smart contracts, and interacting with dApps.
- Best for applications that require real-time interaction with Ethereum, such as decentralized apps (dApps).