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Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals · Lección

Conexión con Ethereum (Web3.js/Ethers.js)

Aprenda a utilizar bibliotecas de JavaScript como Web3.js o Ethers.js para establecer conexiones entre un front-end web y la red Ethereum.

Conexión con Ethereum (Web3.js/Ethers.js) es una lección gratuita de Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals en CoddyKit. Esta es la lección 2 de 3. Puedes leer la lección completa abajo gratuitamente — luego la practicas en el navegador con un editor de código integrado y un tutor de IA 24/7. Forma parte de la ruta de aprendizaje de Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals, y tu progreso se sincroniza en la web y la app de CoddyKit. El curso de Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals incluye 3 lecciones en total.

Partes de esta lección aún no han sido traducidas y se muestran en inglés.

DApps & Ethereum Connection

Welcome to connecting your DApp's front-end to the Ethereum network! Just like traditional apps need to talk to a server, decentralized applications (DApps) need a way to communicate with the blockchain.

This communication allows your DApp to read data from the blockchain, like account balances, and send transactions, like transferring tokens or calling smart contract functions.

Web3.js & Ethers.js Libraries

To bridge the gap between your web front-end (written in JavaScript) and the Ethereum blockchain, we use specialized libraries.

  • Web3.js: The original JavaScript library for interacting with Ethereum. It's widely used and robust.
  • Ethers.js: A more modern, lightweight, and often preferred alternative, especially for front-end development, known for its clear API.

Both libraries serve the same core purpose: to make it easy to send and receive data from Ethereum.

Understanding Ethereum Providers

Before your DApp can talk to the blockchain, it needs a provider. A provider is an abstraction that connects your DApp to an Ethereum node.

  • Browser Wallets (e.g., MetaMask): These inject a provider object (window.ethereum) directly into your browser's JavaScript environment.
  • Node Providers (e.g., Infura, Alchemy): These are services that run Ethereum nodes and provide an API endpoint (URL) for your DApp to connect to, usually for read-only access or when a user doesn't have a browser wallet.

The provider handles the low-level network communication.

Setting Up with npm

To use Web3.js or Ethers.js in your project, you'll typically install them using a package manager like npm (Node Package Manager).

First, make sure you have Node.js and npm installed. Then, in your project directory, open your terminal and run one of these commands:

  • For Web3.js: npm install web3
  • For Ethers.js: npm install ethers

Once installed, you can import them into your JavaScript files.

Connecting via MetaMask (Web3.js)

When a user has MetaMask installed, it injects window.ethereum. You can use this object to create a Web3.js instance and request user permission to connect their wallet.

Here's how you'd typically initialize Web3.js:

async function connectWeb3() {
  if (window.ethereum) {
    const web3 = new Web3(window.ethereum);
    try {
      // Request account access if needed
      await window.ethereum.request({ method: 'eth_requestAccounts' });
      console.log('Web3.js connected!');
      return web3;
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('User denied account access or error:', error);
    }
  } else {
    console.log('MetaMask not detected! Install it or use a different provider.');
  }
  return null;
}

// To run this in a browser, you'd call connectWeb3()
// For this runnable example, we'll simulate the connection.
async function main() {
  console.log('Simulating Web3.js connection...');
  const web3Instance = await connectWeb3(); // This would be called in a browser
  if (!web3Instance) {
    console.log('Failed to connect Web3.js (simulated).');
  } else {
    console.log('Web3.js connection successful (simulated)!');
  }
}

main();

Connecting via MetaMask (Ethers.js)

Ethers.js also uses window.ethereum to connect to browser wallets. It uses the concept of a Web3Provider to wrap the injected provider.

This approach offers a clean way to interact with the user's wallet and the network.

const { ethers } = require('ethers'); // In browser, ethers is global

async function connectEthers() {
  if (window.ethereum) {
    const provider = new ethers.providers.Web3Provider(window.ethereum);
    try {
      // Request account access
      await provider.send('eth_requestAccounts', []);
      console.log('Ethers.js connected!');
      return provider;
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('User denied account access or error:', error);
    }
  } else {
    console.log('MetaMask not detected! Install it or use a different provider.');
  }
  return null;
}

// To run this in a browser, you'd call connectEthers()
// For this runnable example, we'll simulate the connection.
async function main() {
  console.log('Simulating Ethers.js connection...');
  const ethersProvider = await connectEthers(); // This would be called in a browser
  if (!ethersProvider) {
    console.log('Failed to connect Ethers.js (simulated).');
  } else {
    console.log('Ethers.js connection successful (simulated)!');
  }
}

main();

Reading Data: Get Block Number

Once connected, you can easily read information from the blockchain. A common first step is to get the current block number. This is a read-only operation, meaning it doesn't require a transaction or gas.

Both Web3.js and Ethers.js provide straightforward methods for this.

Get Block Number (Web3.js Example)

Here's how you'd fetch the latest block number using Web3.js after establishing a connection:

// This simulates interaction with a Web3 provider.
// In a real DApp, 'web3' would be an instance connected
// to MetaMask or another Ethereum node.

const web3 = {
  eth: {
    getBlockNumber: async () => {
      // Simulate network call delay
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
      return 12345678; // Example block number
    }
  }
};

async function main() {
  console.log("Attempting to get block number with Web3.js...");
  const blockNumber = await web3.eth.getBlockNumber();
  console.log("Current Block Number (Web3.js):", blockNumber);
}

main();

Get Block Number (Ethers.js Example)

And here's the equivalent operation using Ethers.js:

// This simulates interaction with an Ethers.js provider.
// In a real DApp, 'provider' would be connected to
// MetaMask or another Ethereum node.

const provider = {
  getBlockNumber: async () => {
    // Simulate network call delay
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
    return 12345679; // Example block number
  }
};

async function main() {
  console.log("Attempting to get block number with Ethers.js...");
  const blockNumber = await provider.getBlockNumber();
  console.log("Current Block Number (Ethers.js):", blockNumber);
}

main();

Quick Check: Provider Role

What is the primary role of an Ethereum provider (like MetaMask or Infura) in a DApp's architecture?

Recap: Connecting DApps

Great job! In this lesson, you learned how DApps connect to the Ethereum network.

  • We explored Web3.js and Ethers.js as key JavaScript libraries for this interaction.
  • We understood the concept of an Ethereum provider (e.g., MetaMask, Infura) as the essential link to the blockchain.
  • You saw how to conceptually set up and initialize these libraries to read basic blockchain data like the current block number.

Next, we'll dive deeper into building a complete DApp!

Preguntas frecuentes

¿La lección «Conexión con Ethereum (Web3.js/Ethers.js)» es gratis?

Sí — el texto completo de «Conexión con Ethereum (Web3.js/Ethers.js)» es gratis para leer aquí en la web. Para practicarla de forma interactiva (editor de código integrado y tutor de IA 24/7) y desbloquear el resto del curso de Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals, actualiza a CoddyKit PRO. El curso de Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals incluye 3 lecciones en total.

¿Qué aprenderé en «Conexión con Ethereum (Web3.js/Ethers.js)»?

Aprenda a utilizar bibliotecas de JavaScript como Web3.js o Ethers.js para establecer conexiones entre un front-end web y la red Ethereum. Practicas Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals con código real que ejecutas directamente en el navegador, y un tutor de IA 24/7 responde tus preguntas mientras trabajas en la lección.

¿Necesito experiencia previa para empezar Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals?

No se requiere experiencia previa. Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals en CoddyKit está estructurado para principiantes hasta estudiantes avanzados, así que puedes empezar aquí o desde el inicio y avanzar a tu ritmo. Esta es la lección 2 de 3.

¿Cuánto tiempo toma la lección «Conexión con Ethereum (Web3.js/Ethers.js)»?

La mayoría de las lecciones de CoddyKit toman alrededor de 5–10 minutos. Cada una es compacta e interactiva, así que avanzas constantemente y retomas exactamente por donde dejaste en la web y la app.

¿Puedo escribir y ejecutar código en esta lección de Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals?

Sí. Cada lección de Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals incluye un editor de código integrado, así que escribes y ejecutas código real directamente en tu navegador y obtienes retroalimentación instantánea de IA — sin configuración local necesaria.

Todas las lecciones de este curso

  1. Front-end y back-end en Web3
  2. Conexión con Ethereum (Web3.js/Ethers.js)
  3. Ejemplo básico de DApp
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