Block Explorer Development

[makeholer]

We're developing an block explorer, after searching a lot I found that my best options is to use:

Insight
ABE

but our current node is running on prune, so I can't use ABE, from what i saw from insight, it works like an API, and we don't want to use a third-party service.
I've multiple other hosts that I can use to install a full node, I'm just wondering if this is the best way to do this.

Any tips?

[achow101]

You won't be able to run a block explorer if your node is pruned. Pruning throws away information that isn't necessary for the node to function (old blocks and transactions that have already been verified). However the point of a block explorer is to be able to see those data and explore them, so pruning is inherently incompatible. You will need to run a proper archival node (one which stores the entire blockchain) in order to operate any sort of block explorer.

The Insight explorer uses the insight API which uses it's own backend node software called Bitcore. You can run that software, then install the insight API service, then the insight explorer.

Otherwise you will need to write your own block explorer as I don't think there are any other maintained (and I'm not entirely sure insight is maintained) open source block explorer software.

[makeholer]

Thanks for you reply, but everything you said is already explained on my question.

Answering your last paragraph, yes, there's ABE.

[achow101]

Thanks for you reply, but everything you said is already explained on my question.

Not really. You had a question about insight. I answered your question about insight and how you can run it locally without a third party service.

Answering your last paragraph, yes, there's ABE.

ABE is not maintained. It is missing things like segwit support which makes it difficult to use with modern node software.