From Etherscan’s functional updates in 2021, we can see the development history and direction of the crypto world

Original title: From the functional updates of Etherscan in 2021, we can almost see the development process and direction of the crypto world

2021 is a big year for Ethereum and the broader ecosystem. With the popularity of DeFi and NFTs, a new generation of users are truly using blockchain for the first time.

While bull markets are exciting for end users, they are tough for builders. Distractions are everywhere, and more users means more firefighting to keep the service secure and running. But whether it’s the Year of the Ox, the Year of the Dog, the Year of the Monkey, or the Year of the Shiba Inu, Etherscan will continue to grow.

Here are 21 major features released by Etherscan throughout 2021.

Explorer-as-a-Service

Etherscan’s block explorer has expanded massively in 2021. Etherscan and BscScan remain the two most visited sites in the world. On top of these two, we have built explorers for nine other blockchains.

These are the core features and tools of Etherscan (including the all-important night mode!).

Day/Night mode button in the footer of the website.

We have already started work on this in 2022 and there will be more to come.

'Method' Column

Transactions on Ethereum can perform many different operations. The Method field introduced in March allows end users to see at a glance what function a transaction performs.

This was a user favorite in 2021, users loved the added context and requested it be added to pending transactions, CSV exports, etc.

Tip: Method names are taken directly from the corresponding smart contracts and are not managed by Etherscan. Always DYOR (do your own research) when referring to method names on any transaction.

Support for EIP-1559

Ethereum's fee mechanism was significantly updated in August 2021 through EIP-1559, which introduced dynamic gas prices, flexible block sizes, and fee burning. Etherscan supports displaying base fees, burn fees, and dashboards!

Etherscan Blocks page

ERC-1155 token support

Following a long-standing request from the NFT community, ERC-1155 has been gradually integrated into Etherscan over the course of the year. Ethereum finally has a block explorer that supports ERC-1155, including:

• Top Coins Page

• Latest transfer page

• Token Page

• As a tab in the address page

• Displayed as token transfer and transaction operations in the transaction details page

DEX Trading Pairs

Etherscan’s DEX Tracker initially listed DEX trades conducted on Ethereum. DEX Trading Pairs expanded that functionality in September to show trading pairs and price charts for any ERC-20 token on SushiSwap or Uniswap v2 and v3.

You can find this page by clicking the Chart button on any ERC-20 Token page!

ENS Name Tags

Until 2021, you can search for ENS names in the site search bar or on the lookup page. In May, we added ENS name tags for accounts that have set up a primary (reverse) record for their ENS name. Users can now see their ENS name throughout the browser instead of a random 0x… string.

Natspec Support

Users of Etherscan’s Read & Write Contract received a gift when Etherscan released NatSpec support in December. Smart contracts built with NatSpec now display descriptions in both Read and Write Contract, helping users better understand each function they are calling.

Enhanced Token Holdings page

The Token Holdings page has been revamped a few times. It now displays LP tokens and NFT inventory!

As our NFT Indexer catches up, we will be better able to provide the community with additional independent sources of NFT images and metadata.

NFT gallery on Etherscan.

Flashbots /MEV Support

MEV has taken the Ethereum world by storm in 2021. It was previously hidden deep in the dark forest, but was brought into the spotlight in large part through the efforts of Flashbots. Etherscan played our part in early April, annotating transactions and blocks involving Flashbots MEV for users.

Soon after the launch of Flashbots Protect, a service designed to help users submit transactions safely off-chain to avoid front-running and other MEV attacks, the status of its pending transactions was supported on Etherscan (even though they were off-chain!).

Smart Contract Search

A little-known tool used by discerning developers. Launched in February, it allows users to search for specific keywords across all verified smart contracts on Ethereum. Users can further narrow their search by using a variety of filters ranging from Solidity version to deployment date.

Contract Diff Checker

This unique tool, released at the same time as Smart Contract Search, allows developers to compare the similarities or differences between two smart contract codes side by side.

Transaction Decoder

Developers who wish to explore transactions in more detail directly on Etherscan can simply open any transaction, open the … menu in the top right corner, and select Transaction Decoder.

Error message

Error messages became a major problem for some users. Phishers used URLs with error messages about token recovery to mislead users into opening malicious websites. This project required some thought and balanced user security with a censorship-free user experience.

Solidity custom error messages followed soon after and were released in October.

Safety Report

With Ledger as an initial partner, Etherscan has released a tool for third-party businesses to submit name tags on Etherscan. Ledger has already tagged addresses involved in security incidents directly on Etherscan.

IDM

IDMs (Input Data Messaging) have been around in Ethereum for a long time. In October, Etherscan released a simple read-only function to collect these into a chat form. Messaging is a key use case for Ethereum wallets - we expect to see more innovation here this year!

Multi-chain address search based on Blockscan

In July, users of the EVM multiverse gained a superpower that allows them to easily see if addresses on one chain are used by other chains supported by Etherscan’s block explorer.

Multi-file source code search

This multi-file search bar saves developers a lot of time sifting through lengthy source code.

More trading operations

In 2021, Etherscan added more transaction operations to the transaction details page. Details of pending transfers and NFT transactions are two key ones.

Trading Navigation

The transaction details page got a cool update in November: users can navigate between transactions based on the sender's instant message (or transaction order). Circular transactions just got a lot easier.

Sparkline chart of ERC-20 token holders

One of the first releases is in 2021. The Sparkline graph shows the estimated number of token holders over the past 7 days: a useful indicator for traders.

API Updates Page

Last but not least is the update to the API documentation and landing page. Starting in August, users can clearly see descriptions of the various API plans, a full list of API endpoints, helpful getting started tutorials, and more. Using the Etherscan API has never been easier!

So there you have it, the 21 features Etherscan is releasing in 2021.