> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chainstack.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# eth_blockNumber | Avalanche

> Avalanche API method that returns the latest block number of the blockchain. Available on Avalanche via Chainstack JSON-RPC nodes.

Avalanche API method that returns the latest block number of the blockchain. A block number is a hexadecimal number representing the block's position in the blockchain. For example, the block number `0x69B5B` means that the block is the 432,987th block in the blockchain.

## Parameters

* `none`

## Response

* `result` — the integer value of the node's latest block number is synced to encoded as hexadecimal. The block number is used to identify the block's position in the blockchain and is updated every time a new block is added to the chain.

## `eth_blockNumber` code examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```javascript ethers.js theme={"system"}
  const ethers = require('ethers');
  const NODE_URL = "CHAINSTACK_NODE_URL";
  const provider = new ethers.providers.JsonRpcProvider(NODE_URL);

  const eth_getBlockNumber = async () => {
      const block_Number = await provider.getBlockNumber();
      console.log(block_Number);
    };

  eth_getBlockNumber();
  ```

  ```python web3.py theme={"system"}
  from web3 import Web3

  node_url = "CHAINSTACK_NODE_URL"

  web3 = Web3(Web3.HTTPProvider(node_url))
  print (web3.eth.block_number)
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Use case

A possible use case for the `eth_blockNumber` method in Avalanche is for applications that need to be aware of the current block number—some applications may need to be mindful of the current block number to function correctly. For example, a DApp may use the current block number to determine the expiration date of a time-limited offer.

The following code uses the web3.js library and defines a function called `getCurrentBlockNumber`. When called, this function returns the latest block number from the network, and you can use it in your DApp.

You can then use your application's `getCurrentBlockNumber` function to get the current block number whenever you need it. In this example, we use it to calculate on which block a special offer to a specific user will expire. We retrieve the block when we issue the offer to the user and add `50400`, which is approximately how many Ethereum blocks are produced weekly. Now, in the `offerExpires` constant, we have the last block when the user can exercise the special price.

Use the `getCurrentBlockNumber` function to compare it to `offerExpires` to know if the offer is still valid.


## OpenAPI

````yaml openapi/avalanche_node_api/blocks_info/eth_blockNumber.json POST /8763cb5a211e1d4345acd51bde484c00/ext/bc/C/rpc
openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  title: Chainstack Node API
  version: 1.0.0
  description: This is an API for interacting with a Chainstack node.
servers:
  - url: https://nd-418-459-126.p2pify.com
security: []
paths:
  /8763cb5a211e1d4345acd51bde484c00/ext/bc/C/rpc:
    post:
      tags:
        - Blocks info
      summary: eth_blockNumber
      operationId: eth_blockNumber
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              type: object
              properties:
                id:
                  type: integer
                  default: 1
                jsonrpc:
                  type: string
                  default: '2.0'
                method:
                  type: string
                  default: eth_blockNumber
                params:
                  type: array
                  default: []
      responses:
        '200':
          description: The latest block number.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  jsonrpc:
                    type: string
                  id:
                    type: integer
                  result:
                    type: object

````