GlossaryAdvanced
Indexer
A service that organizes raw blockchain data into a more easily queryable format.
An indexer processes and organizes raw blockchain data into a structured, more easily queryable format, letting applications quickly retrieve information (such as a wallet's full transaction history) without re-scanning the entire chain themselves.
Most consumer-facing crypto applications, from wallets to block explorers, rely on indexing services rather than querying raw blockchain data directly on every request.
Examples
- A wallet app typically relies on an indexer to quickly display your transaction history.
- Without an indexer, retrieving certain kinds of blockchain data would require scanning the entire chain each time.