You may have heard of RPCs, and often times when using the non-custodial wallet Metamask, probably. But do you know what are they and what their uses are? Our best guess is that you ended up here from querying “RPC meaning crypto” in Google.
Well, RPC nodes are an essential piece of technology for all dApp development. These nodes make it possible for dApps and other projects to communicate with a blockchain. If that sounds interesting, allow us to explain in further details!
RPC Meaning Crypto
The acronym RPC stands for Remote Procedure Call. RPCs allow communications with servers remotely and provide the ability to execute programs in a separate location. In blockchain terms, an RPC is a set of protocols that allow a client (such as Metamask) to interact with a blockchain.
In the ETHereum world when we mention it, we're usually talking about the way a wallet or browser talks to an Ethereum node to ask it about something on the blockchain or send it a transaction. In this context, a node accepting RPC calls is called an RPC endpoint. People who want to make Ethereum RPC calls without running their own node often use an RPC endpoint hosted by Infura or Alchemy.
What Is The Use Of An RPC?
In order to interact with a blockchain, we need a way to access the network servers through a suitable and generic option to perform operations like viewing a balance, creating a transaction, or interacting with a smart contract. RPCs are what give us the ability to establish that connection with the servers.
When a developer creates a decentralized application (dApp) with RPC capabilities, a user will then be able to perform requests and interact with the blockchain. For example, if you've ever used a decentralized exchange (DEX) by connecting a wallet, like Metamask, your connection and communications are being routed through an RPC to communicate with a blockchain server.
How do I connect to an RPC using MetaMask?
To connect to a custom network using compatible RPC data, we recommend using the Metamask wallet. You can connect to a custom network by following these steps:
1. Go to Metamask's website and download the Metamask wallet.
2. After installing and securing your 12-word secret recovery phrase, a) click on ETHereum Mainnet at the top of the Metamask wallet screen and b) select Add Network.
3. Your browser will open a new tab in which you can copy and paste the details of the custom network.
4. After successfully connecting to the Polygon mainnet, your Metamask wallet will display both a) the new network, and b) the native asset.
Closing Thoughts
All dApps (decentralized applications) need a way to communicate with blockchains and without a means of communication, dApps won’t be able to access information and make transactions on the blockchain on which they operate. Thankfully, we have RPC nodes that facilitate this connection between the blockchain and the dApps in order for users to interact with them.
We hope that you’ve now understood “RPC meaning crypto” as a Web3 user and that it has inspired you to learn more about all-things crypto and blockchain. Learning never stops!
