> ## 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_getTransactionCount | Avalanche
> Avalanche API method that returns the number of transactions sent from an address at the selected block. Avalanche via Chainstack.
Avalanche API method that returns the number of transactions sent from an address at the selected block. This value is also called `nonce`; it is an important piece of information, especially to ensure that a transaction is not sent twice.
When called against a block older than the latest \~128 blocks, this method is treated as an archive request (2 RUs instead of 1 RU). See [request units](/docs/request-units#archive-state-methods).
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## Parameters
* `address`— the address to retrieve the transaction count.
* `quantity or tag` — the integer of a block encoded as hexadecimal or the string with:
* `latest` — the most recent block in the blockchain and the current state of the blockchain at the most recent block
* `earliest` — the earliest available or genesis block
* `pending` — the pending state and transactions block. The current state of transactions that have been broadcast to the network but have not yet been included in a block.
See the [default block parameter](https://eth.wiki/json-rpc/API#the-default-block-parameter).
## Response
* `quantity` — an integer value identifying the number of transactions sent from an address at the specified block.
## `eth_getTransactionCount` code examples
```javascript web3.js theme={"system"}
const Web3 = require("web3");
const NODE_URL = "CHAINSTACK_NODE_URL";
const web3 = new Web3(NODE_URL);
async function getTransactionsCount(address, blockId) {
const count = await web3.eth.getTransactionCount(address, blockId)
console.log(count);
}
getTransactionsCount("0x38545c4b331D8BFb3bee94C62D77a6735b5eF8c0", 'latest')
```
```javascript ethers.js theme={"system"}
const ethers = require('ethers');
const NODE_URL = "CHAINSTACK_NODE_URL";
const provider = new ethers.JsonRpcProvider(NODE_URL);
const getNonce = async (address, blockId) => {
const nonce = await provider.send("eth_getTransactionCount", [address, blockId]);
console.log(nonce);
};
getNonce("0x38545c4b331D8BFb3bee94C62D77a6735b5eF8c0", "latest")
```
```python web3.py theme={"system"}
from web3 import Web3
node_url = "CHAINSTACK_NODE_URL"
web3 = Web3(Web3.HTTPProvider(node_url))
print(web3.eth.get_transaction_count("0x38545c4b331D8BFb3bee94C62D77a6735b5eF8c0", "latest"))
```
## Use case
One of the most common use cases for `eth_getTransactionCount`is to create the transaction object built in a script designed to send a transaction. The nonce field is required, and it is retrieved using the `eth_getTransactionCount` method.
The following code shows how to build a `rawTransction` using web3.js and `ethereumjs-tx`.
**Security notice**
You need your private key to sign the transaction; never share your private key with anyone.
On a side note, the private key in this case must be imported without '0x' at the beginning of the string.
```javascript index.js theme={"system"}
const Web3 = require("web3");
const Tx = require("ethereumjs-tx").Transaction;
const NODE_URL = "CHAINSTACK_NODE_URL";
const web3 = new Web3(NODE_URL);
// Initialize private key
const PRIVATE_KEY = Buffer.from("PRIVATE_KEY", "hex");
// Validate input parameters and return an error message if invalid
const validateInputs = (fromAddress, toAddress) => {
if (!web3.utils.isAddress(fromAddress)) {
throw new Error(`Invalid fromAddress: ${fromAddress}`);
}
if (!web3.utils.isAddress(toAddress)) {
throw new Error(`Invalid toAddress: ${toAddress}`);
}
};
// Async function to create a raw transaction
async function createRawTransaction(fromAddress, toAddress, value) {
validateInputs(fromAddress, toAddress);
const nonce = await web3.eth.getTransactionCount(fromAddress);
const gasPrice = await web3.eth.getGasPrice();
const gasLimit = await web3.eth.estimateGas({
from: fromAddress,
to: toAddress,
});
// Build the transaction object
const transactionObject = {
to: toAddress,
gasPrice: web3.utils.toHex(gasPrice),
gasLimit: web3.utils.toHex(gasLimit),
nonce: web3.utils.toHex(nonce),
value: web3.utils.toHex(value),
};
// Create a new transaction object to sign
const tx = new Tx(transactionObject, { chain: 'mainnet' });
// Sign the transaction using the private key
tx.sign(PRIVATE_KEY);
// Serialize and return the signed transaction as a raw transaction
const serializedTx = tx.serialize();
const rawTransaction = `0x${serializedTx.toString('hex')}`;
return rawTransaction;
}
async function main() {
const rawTransaction = await createRawTransaction('0x38545c4b331D8BFb3bee94C62D77a6735b5eF8c0', "0xe341b2f448eb190495ed4a89c01f20078b26b0f6" , "100000000000000")
console.log(`Raw transaction: ${rawTransaction}`)
}
main()
```
In summary, the code creates a valid raw transaction that can be broadcasted to the network.
During the process, the script retrieves important values such as the `nonce`, `gasPrice`, and `gasLimit`, builds a transaction object and signs it using a private key.
First, the `createRawTransaction` function calls `validateInputs` to ensure that the `fromAddress` and `toAddress` parameters are valid addresses. If either of these addresses is invalid, the function throws an error with a descriptive message.
Next, the function makes a call to `web3.eth.getTransactionCount` with the `fromAddress` as a parameter. This method returns the number of transactions sent from the `fromAddress`, and is used as the `nonce` for the transaction.
The function retrieves the `gasPrice` and `gasLimit` for the transaction using `web3.eth.getGasPrice` and `web3.eth.estimateGas`, respectively. The [eth\_gasPrice](/reference/gasprice) is the amount of gas that the transaction sender is willing to pay per unit of gas consumed by the transaction, while the [eth\_estimateGas](/reference/avalanche-estimategas) is an estimate of the maximum amount of gas that the transaction will consume.
With the `nonce`, `gasPrice`, and `gasLimit` values, the function builds a transaction object, which includes the `toAddress`, `gasPrice`, `gasLimit`, `nonce`, and `value` of the transaction. The value is the amount transferred from the `fromAddress` to the `toAddress`.
The transaction object is then passed to a new `Tx` instance, which is signed using the private key. The signed transaction is then serialized and returned as a `rawTransaction`, which can be broadcasted to the network to execute the transaction using [eth\_sendRawTransaction](/reference/avalanche-sendrawtransaction).
## OpenAPI
````yaml /openapi/avalanche_node_api/accounts_info/eth_getTransactionCount.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:
- upload
summary: eth_getTransactionCount
operationId: getTransactionCount
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_getTransactionCount
params:
type: array
items:
anyOf:
- type: string
title: Address
description: The address to check
- type: string
title: Block identifier
description: The block identifier
default:
- '0x60dBc646a860F9eC715976f6A69D5Bc71BDaad98'
- latest
responses:
'200':
description: The address nonce
content:
application/json:
schema:
type: object
properties:
jsonrpc:
type: string
id:
type: integer
result:
type: object
````