Understanding the role of indexers in blockchain applications
Blockchains are optimized for consensus and security, not for complex queries. Indexers solve this by extracting blockchain data into optimized databases that enable fast, flexible queries for applications and analytics.
# Get daily trading volume for the last 30 daysquery TradingVolume { dailyStats( first: 30 orderBy: date orderDirection: desc ) { date volumeUSD txCount uniqueUsers }}
-- Essential indexes for fast queriesCREATE INDEX idx_transactions_sender ON transactions(sender);CREATE INDEX idx_transactions_block_height ON transactions(block_height);CREATE INDEX idx_events_type ON events(type);CREATE INDEX idx_oracle_prices_denom_timestamp ON oracle_prices(denom, timestamp DESC);
Start Simple: Begin with basic data and add complexity gradually
Plan for Scale: Design your schema and queries for growth
Monitor Performance: Track query performance and database metrics
Handle Reorgs: Plan for blockchain reorganizations and rollbacks
Backup Data: Implement robust backup and recovery procedures
Indexers are crucial infrastructure for modern blockchain applications. They transform slow, limited blockchain queries into fast, flexible data access that powers great user experiences.