Question 1

Chain ID: What It Is and How to Verify It on Any EVM Network

Accepted Answer

A **chain ID** is the integer that tells an EVM client which blockchain it is talking to. Wallets, RPC endpoints, and signing libraries all read it, so a mismatch is one of the most common reasons a transaction fails or a dApp appears to be on the wrong network.

The fastest way to confirm the chain ID of an endpoint is to call `eth_chainId` and compare the hex result to the value you expect. For example, a BNB Smart Chain mainnet endpoint should return `0x38` (56), while a BNB Chain Testnet endpoint should return `0x61` (97). If the value differs, you are connected to a different chain than your app assumes.

This page explains what the chain ID protects against, how to read it from a wallet or an RPC endpoint, and how to keep it consistent across local development, CI, and production. It also covers the operational side: why the endpoint you choose matters when you need to verify chain identity reliably, and when a managed RPC service or dedicated node is a better fit than a public endpoint.

Question 2

How do I add a BNB Chain RPC to MetaMask?

Accepted Answer

Adding BNB Smart Chain to MetaMask takes one network form: chain ID 56, the BNB Chain RPC URL you want to use, BNB as the currency symbol, and https://bscscan.com as the explorer. The part that actually affects your app is which RPC URL you paste in, because a public endpoint and a managed or dedicated endpoint behave very differently under load.

This page covers the exact chain settings for BNB Smart Chain mainnet and testnet, how to add them in MetaMask, how to verify the connection with curl and ethers, and when a shared public endpoint is enough versus when you should move to managed or dedicated BNB Chain infrastructure.

Question 3

How do you use a Chainlist-style directory to find supported RPC networks and endpoints?

Accepted Answer

Chainlist-style directories exist to solve one problem: mapping a chain ID to a working RPC endpoint so wallets and dApps can connect without guesswork. This article explains how those directories are structured, how to read the network metadata they expose, and how to verify an endpoint before you ship it to production.

It also covers where public directory endpoints stop being enough, what to check when a listed endpoint fails, and how a managed RPC API or dedicated node fits when you need predictable behavior across many chains.

Question 4

What is a Binance Smart Chain archive node and when do you need one?

Accepted Answer

A Binance Smart Chain (BNB Smart Chain) archive node keeps the full historical state of the chain, so you can query balances, storage slots, and contract state at any past block height. Standard full nodes prune old state, which is why historical queries fail against them. Archive access is essential for analytics, tax and accounting tools, indexers, and any backend that needs to reconstruct what happened at a specific block. You can connect to an archive-capable endpoint through OnFinality's RPC API or run a dedicated archive node when your workload needs consistent historical throughput.

Question 5

What is the Binance Beacon Chain explorer and how do you query it?

Accepted Answer

The Binance Beacon Chain was the staking and governance layer of the BNB Chain ecosystem, running alongside BNB Smart Chain before the two were merged in the 2024 opBNB-era consolidation. Its explorer let you inspect validators, delegations, and cross-chain activity. Today, most developers interact with the BNB Chain ecosystem through BNB Smart Chain RPC endpoints instead.

This page explains what the Beacon Chain explorer showed, why it matters for historical lookups, and how to move to the BNB Smart Chain RPC workflow that OnFinality supports for production apps. You can connect to a public endpoint for testing or run dedicated node infrastructure for heavier workloads.

Question 6

RPC BNB: How Do You Connect to BNB Smart Chain and Pick the Right Endpoint?

Accepted Answer

This page explains what an RPC endpoint for BNB Smart Chain (BNB Chain) is, how to connect to mainnet and testnet, and how to choose between public, shared, and dedicated infrastructure. It covers chain settings, a working JSON-RPC example, WebSocket support, and the failure modes developers hit most often. Use it as a reference when wiring a wallet, backend service, or indexer to BNB Chain.

Question 7

What is a Smart Chain RPC URL and how do I connect to BNB Smart Chain?

Accepted Answer

A Smart Chain RPC URL is the HTTP or WebSocket endpoint your wallet, dApp, or backend uses to read BNB Smart Chain state and broadcast transactions. It carries JSON-RPC calls such as eth_blockNumber, eth_getBalance, and eth_sendRawTransaction to a node that is synced with the network.

This page covers the BNB Smart Chain mainnet and testnet settings you need for wallet configuration, gives a working curl and JavaScript example, and explains when a public endpoint is enough versus when a managed RPC API or dedicated node is the better fit for production traffic.

Question 8

BNB Smart Chain Testnet RPC: Chain Settings, Faucet, and Debugging

Accepted Answer

BNB Smart Chain Testnet (chain ID 97) is where you validate contracts, wallets, and indexers before touching mainnet. This page gives you the exact network settings, a working public endpoint, faucet guidance, and the failure modes that waste the most developer time. You will also find a short checklist for deciding when a shared public endpoint is enough and when a dedicated node is the better fit.

Question 9

BNB Smart Chain Node: What It Is and How to Connect Reliably

Accepted Answer

A BNB Smart Chain node is a client that stores BSC state and serves JSON-RPC requests. You can run one yourself or use a managed RPC provider. This page explains node types, how to connect, and how to choose infrastructure that matches your workload.

Question 10

What is a BNB Chain node and how do you run or connect to one?

Accepted Answer

A BNB Chain node is a client that maintains a full copy of BNB Smart Chain and serves JSON-RPC requests for reading chain state, sending transactions, and listening to events. You can run your own node, use a public endpoint, or rely on a managed RPC provider like OnFinality for production workloads.

Question 11

How do I add BNB Smart Chain Testnet to MetaMask?

Accepted Answer

This guide walks through adding BNB Smart Chain Testnet to MetaMask, covering chain settings, funding with tBNB, and common configuration pitfalls. It also explains how to choose a reliable RPC endpoint for testnet development and when a managed RPC service makes sense.

Question 12

What should you look for in a Solana RPC service for smart contracts in 2025?

Accepted Answer

Choosing the right Solana RPC service for smart contracts means balancing performance, reliability, and cost. This article explains the key evaluation criteria, from throughput and WebSocket support to archive data and dedicated node options, helping you match infrastructure to your contract's needs.

API Service

Dedicated Nodes

Enterprise Nodes

Indexer Services

Network Prototyping Tools

Staking & Validators

AI Agent

RPC documentation entries

Chain ID: What It Is and How to Verify It on Any EVM Network

How do I add a BNB Chain RPC to MetaMask?

How do you use a Chainlist-style directory to find supported RPC networks and endpoints?

What is a Binance Smart Chain archive node and when do you need one?

What is the Binance Beacon Chain explorer and how do you query it?

RPC BNB: How Do You Connect to BNB Smart Chain and Pick the Right Endpoint?

What is a Smart Chain RPC URL and how do I connect to BNB Smart Chain?

BNB Smart Chain Testnet RPC: Chain Settings, Faucet, and Debugging

BNB Smart Chain Node: What It Is and How to Connect Reliably

What is a BNB Chain node and how do you run or connect to one?

How do I add BNB Smart Chain Testnet to MetaMask?

What should you look for in a Solana RPC service for smart contracts in 2025?

Never Worry about Infrastructure Again

Supported Networks

Product

Company

Resources

BNB Chain RPC Assistant

RPC documentation entries

Chain ID: What It Is and How to Verify It on Any EVM Network

How do I add a BNB Chain RPC to MetaMask?

How do you use a Chainlist-style directory to find supported RPC networks and endpoints?

What is a Binance Smart Chain archive node and when do you need one?

What is the Binance Beacon Chain explorer and how do you query it?

RPC BNB: How Do You Connect to BNB Smart Chain and Pick the Right Endpoint?

What is a Smart Chain RPC URL and how do I connect to BNB Smart Chain?

BNB Smart Chain Testnet RPC: Chain Settings, Faucet, and Debugging

BNB Smart Chain Node: What It Is and How to Connect Reliably

What is a BNB Chain node and how do you run or connect to one?

How do I add BNB Smart Chain Testnet to MetaMask?

What should you look for in a Solana RPC service for smart contracts in 2025?

Never Worry about Infrastructure Again

Supported Networks

Product

Company

Resources