getBlockTime

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Parameters

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Response

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Code Examples

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Basic Request

curl https://rpc.orbitflare.com -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "getBlockTime",
  "params": [
    100000000
  ]
}'

​

Using web3.js

import { Connection } from '@solana/web3.js';

const connection = new Connection('https://rpc.orbitflare.com');

// Get block time
const blockTime = await connection.getBlockTime(100000000);
if (blockTime !== null) {
  console.log('Block time:', new Date(blockTime * 1000));
} else {
  console.log('Block not available');
}

// Get multiple block times
async function getBlockTimes(slots: number[]) {
  const times = await Promise.all(
    slots.map(slot => connection.getBlockTime(slot))
  );
  
  return times.map((time, index) => ({
    slot: slots[index],
    time: time ? new Date(time * 1000) : null
  }));
}

​

Notes

1. Returns the Unix timestamp when the block was produced
2. Returns null if the block is not available
3. The timestamp is in seconds since Unix epoch
4. Block times are estimates and may vary between nodes
5. Older blocks may not have timestamps available

​

Best Practices

1. Handle null responses appropriately
2. Convert Unix timestamps to Date objects for display
3. Consider timezone differences when displaying times
4. Cache results when appropriate to reduce RPC load
5. Use this method in conjunction with other block methods

​

Common Errors

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Use Cases

1. Block Time Analysis
   Copy

   interface BlockTimeMetrics {
     slot: number;
     time: Date | null;
     delay: number | null;
   }
   
   async function analyzeBlockTimes(startSlot: number, endSlot: number) {
     const blocks = await connection.getBlocks(startSlot, endSlot);
     const times = await Promise.all(
       blocks.map(slot => connection.getBlockTime(slot))
     );
     
     const metrics: BlockTimeMetrics[] = blocks.map((slot, index) => {
       const time = times[index];
       const prevTime = index > 0 ? times[index - 1] : null;
       
       return {
         slot,
         time: time ? new Date(time * 1000) : null,
         delay: time && prevTime ? time - prevTime : null
       };
     });
     
     return metrics;
   }
   

2. Block Time Tracking
   Copy

   interface BlockTimeHistory {
     slot: number;
     timestamp: number;
     date: Date;
   }
   
   async function trackBlockTimes(slots: number[]) {
     const times = await Promise.all(
       slots.map(slot => connection.getBlockTime(slot))
     );
     
     const history: BlockTimeHistory[] = times
       .filter((time, index) => time !== null)
       .map((time, index) => ({
         slot: slots[index],
         timestamp: time!,
         date: new Date(time! * 1000)
       }));
     
     return history;
   }
   

3. Block Production Rate
   Copy

   async function calculateBlockProductionRate(startSlot: number, endSlot: number) {
     const blocks = await connection.getBlocks(startSlot, endSlot);
     const times = await Promise.all(
       blocks.map(slot => connection.getBlockTime(slot))
     );
     
     const validTimes = times.filter(time => time !== null) as number[];
     if (validTimes.length < 2) {
       return null;
     }
     
     const firstTime = validTimes[0];
     const lastTime = validTimes[validTimes.length - 1];
     const totalTime = lastTime - firstTime;
     const blocksPerSecond = validTimes.length / totalTime;
     
     return {
       blocksPerSecond,
       totalTime,
       totalBlocks: validTimes.length
     };
   }