# Onion Monero Blockchain Explorer Curently available Monero blockchain explorer websites have several limitations which are of special importance to privacy-oriented users: - they use JavaScript, - have images which might be used for [cookieless tracking](http://lucb1e.com/rp/cookielesscookies/), - track users activates through google analytics, - are closed sourced, - are not available as hidden services, - provide only basic search capabilities, - do not support Monero testnet In this example, these limitations are addressed by development of an Onion Monero Blockchain Explorer. The example not only shows how to use Monero C++ libraries, but also demonstrates how to use: - [crow](https://github.com/ipkn/crow) - C++ micro web framework - [lmdb++](https://github.com/bendiken/lmdbxx) - C++ wrapper for the LMDB - [mstch](https://github.com/no1msd/mstch) - C++ {{mustache}} templates - [json](https://github.com/nlohmann/json) - JSON for Modern C++ - [date](https://github.com/HowardHinnant/date) - C++ date and time library - [fmt](https://github.com/fmtlib/fmt) - Small, safe and fast string formatting library ## Address Tor users: - [http://libwh5lvouddzei4.onion](http://libwh5lvouddzei4.onion/) - [http://2hbthfb66na6pqgv.onion](http://2hbthfb66na6pqgv.onion) Monero tor node: - [o6nvntbo3qsn36dm.onion](o6nvntbo3qsn36dm.onion) - `/opt/monero/monero-wallet-cli --daemon-host o6nvntbo3qsn36dm.onion` Clearnet versions: - [http://139.162.32.245:8081/](http://139.162.32.245:8081/) - bleeding edge, no https. - [https://xmrchain.net/](https://xmrchain.net/) - https enabled. - [https://monerohash.com/explorer/](https://monerohash.com/explorer/) - nice looking one, https enabled. - [http://blox.supportxmr.com/](http://blox.supportxmr.com/) - no https. - [https://explorer.xmr.my/](https://explorer.xmr.my/) - https enabled. Clearnet testnet Monero version: - [http://139.162.32.245:8082/](http://139.162.32.245:8082/) - bleeding edge, no https. - [https://testnet.xmrchain.com/](https://testnet.xmrchain.com/) - https enabled. - [https://testnet.explorer.xmr.my/](https://testnet.explorer.xmr.my/) - https enabled, most up to date. i2p users (main Monero network) - down for now: - [http://monerotools.i2p](http://monerotools.i2p) ## Onion Monero Blockchain Explorer features The key features of the Onion Monero Blockchain Explorer are: - no javascript, no cookies, no web analytics trackers, no images, - open sourced, - made fully in C++, - the only explorer showing encrypted payments ID, - the only explorer with the ability to search by encrypted payments ID, tx public and private keys, stealth addresses, input key images, block timestamps (UTC time, e.g., 2016-11-23 14:03:05) - the only explorer showing ring signatures, - the only explorer showing transaction extra field, - the only explorer showing public components of Monero addresses, - the only explorer that can show which outputs and mixins belong to the given Monero address and viewkey, - the only explorer that can be used to prove that you send Monero to someone, - the only explorer showing detailed information about mixins, such as, mixins' age, timescale, mixin of mixins, - the only explorer showing number of amount output indices, - the only explorer supporting Monero testnet network, - the only explorer providing tx checker and pusher for online pushing of transactions, - the only explorer allowing to inspect encrypted key images file and output files. - the only explorer able to estimate possible spendings based on address and viewkey. ## Prerequisite Instruction for Monero 0.10.1 compilation and Monero headers and libraries setup are as shown here: - [Compile Monero on Ubuntu 16.04 x64](https://github.com/moneroexamples/compile-monero-09-on-ubuntu-16-04) - [lmdbcpp-monero](https://github.com/moneroexamples/lmdbcpp-monero.git) (optional) ## Compile and run the explorer ##### Monero headers and libraries setup The Onion Explorer uses Monero C++ libraries and headers. Instructions how to download source files and compile Monero, setup header and library files are presented here: - https://github.com/moneroexamples/compile-monero-09-on-ubuntu-16-04 (Ubuntu 16.04) - https://github.com/moneroexamples/compile-monero-09-on-arch-linux (Arch Linux) ##### Custom lmdb database (optional) Most unique search abilities of the Onion Explorer are achieved through using a [custom lmdb database](https://github.com/moneroexamples/lmdbcpp-monero.git) constructed based on the Monero blockchain. The reason for the custom database is that Monero's own lmdb database has limited search abilities. For example, its not possible to search for a tx having a given key image, except by performing an exhaustive search on the blockchain which is very time consuming. Instruction how to compile the `lmdbcpp-monero` are provided here: - https://github.com/moneroexamples/lmdbcpp-monero.git The custom database is rather big, 12GB now, and it must be running alongside Monero deamon so that it keeps updating itself with new information from new blocks as they are added to the blockchain. Also, by default it is 10 blocks behind the current blockchain height to minimize indexing/saving orphaned blocks. For these reasons, its use is optional. However, without it, some searches wont be possible, e.g., searching for key images, output and tx public keys, encrypted payments id. ##### Compile and run the explorer Once the Monero is compiled and setup, the explorer can be downloaded and compiled as follows: ```bash # download the source code git clone https://github.com/moneroexamples/onion-monero-blockchain-explorer.git # enter the downloaded sourced code folder cd onion-monero-blockchain-explorer # make ~/Downloads forlder if you dont have it # time zone library that explorer is using, puts there # its database of time zone offsets # make a build folder and enter it mkdir build && cd build # create the makefile cmake .. # compile make ``` When compilation finishes executable `xmrblocks` should be created. To run it: ``` ./xmrblocks ``` Example output: ```bash [mwo@arch onion-monero-blockchain-explorer]$ ./xmrblocks 2016-May-28 10:04:49.160280 Blockchain initialized. last block: 1056761, d0.h0.m12.s47 time ago, current difficulty: 1517857750 (2016-05-28 02:04:49) [INFO ] Crow/0.1 server is running, local port 8081 ``` Go to your browser: http://127.0.0.1:8081 ## The explorer's command line options ``` ./xmrblocks -h -h [ --help ] [=arg(=1)] (=0) produce help message -t [ --testnet ] [=arg(=1)] (=0) use testnet blockchain --enable-pusher [=arg(=1)] (=0) enable pushing signed tx --enable-key-image-checker [=arg(=1)] (=0) enable key images file checker --enable-output-key-checker [=arg(=1)] (=0) enable outputs key file checker --enable-autorefresh-option [=arg(=1)] (=0) enable users to have the index page on autorefresh -p [ --port ] arg (=8081) default port -b [ --bc-path ] arg path to lmdb blockchain --ssl-crt-file arg A path to crt file for ssl (https) functionality --ssl-key-file arg A path to key file for ssl (https) functionality -c [ --custom-db-path ] arg path to the custom lmdb database used for searching things -d [ --deamon-url ] arg (=http:://127.0.0.1:18081) monero address string ``` ## Enable SSL (https) By default, the explorer does not use ssl. But it has such a functionality. As an example, you can generate your own ssl certificates as follows: ```bash cd /tmp # example folder openssl genrsa -out server.key 1024 openssl req -new -key server.key -out server.csr openssl x509 -req -days 3650 -in server.csr -signkey server.key -out server.crt ``` Having the `crt` and `key` files, run `xmrblocks` in the following way: ```bash ./xmrblocks --ssl-crt-file=/tmp/server.crt --ssl-key-file=/tmp/server.key ``` Note: Because we generated our own certificate, modern browsers will complain about it as they cant verify the signatures against any third party. So probably for any practical use need to have properly issued ssl certificates. ## Enable transaction pusher By default, the tx pusher is disabled. The pushing will not work, but tx checking and inspecting will. To enable pushing the txs, use flag `--enable-pusher`, e.g.: ```bash ./xmrblocks --enable-pusher ``` Note: There has been a number of issues with compatibility of tx's binary data between different Monero versions and operating systems. Unless you are using latest development version of Monero and the explorer has been compiled against the lastest version, pushing and checking unsigined and signed tx data might not work due to incompatibilities in binary data. ## Example screenshot ![Onion Monero Blockchain Explorer](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/moneroexamples/onion-monero-blockchain-explorer/master/screenshot/screenshot_01.jpg) ## Other monero examples Other examples can be found on [github](https://github.com/moneroexamples?tab=repositories). Please know that some of the examples/repositories are not finished and may not work as intended. ## How can you help? Constructive criticism, code and website edits are always good. They can be made through github.