What is an Ethereum RPC Node?
Understanding the technology powering Web3
An Ethereum RPC (Remote Procedure Call) node is a specialized server that provides an interface for interacting with the Ethereum blockchain. It acts as a bridge between your application and the decentralized network, enabling you to send transactions, read smart-contract data, query balances, and execute blockchain operations without running a full node yourself.
How does Ethereum RPC work?
Ethereum uses the JSON-RPC protocol β a standardized method for remote procedure calls encoded in JSON. When your DeFi app, NFT marketplace, or wallet needs blockchain data, it sends a JSON-RPC request to an RPC endpoint. The node processes the request, interacts with Ethereum, and returns the result.
A typical request cycle:
- Your application creates a JSON-RPC request (e.g., eth_getBalance).
- The request is sent via HTTPS or WebSocket to the RPC endpoint.
- The node receives the request and queries the blockchain.
- It retrieves the latest data from Ethereum.
- The response is sent back in JSON format.
Why do you need RPC nodes?
Running a full Ethereum node requires powerful hardware, 2+ TB of disk space, stable high-bandwidth internet, and constant maintenance. Syncing the blockchain takes days, and keeping it updated requires 24/7 monitoring.
RPC providers solve this by offering:
- Fully synced nodes always up to date
- Globally distributed endpoints for low latency
- Automatic scaling under high load
- High availability through redundancy
- DDoS protection and hardened infrastructure
Architecture & protocol
Modern RPC infrastructures use multi-layer architectures: load balancers, caching layers, high-performance RPC servers, and fully synchronized Ethereum nodes that store the entire blockchain.
Ethereumβs JSON-RPC specification defines the methods all nodes must support β including eth_blockNumber, eth_getBalance, eth_call, eth_sendRawTransaction, eth_getLogs, and many others.
HTTPS vs WebSocket endpoints
HTTPS endpoints are perfect for traditional request-response operations β sending transactions, reading state, and querying history.
WebSocket endpoints (WSS) enable live, real-time subscriptions to new blocks, logs, mempool events, NFT mints, and price updates β essential for trading bots, dashboards, and monitoring tools.