A few years ago, when I was learning the Hive API, I wrote a very simple command-line tool in Python. It allowed me to specify a node, choose an API, select a method, and pass parameters to make RPC calls.
At the time, this little tool was quite helpful and made it much easier for me to experiment with and understand the Hive API.
(Illustration generated with the assistance of ChatGPT.)
However, as I continued learning, I realized there was a practical problem: Hive provides hundreds of available JSON-RPC calls, and each method often comes with fairly complex parameter structures. Almost every time I wanted to try something, I had to first go to https://developers.hive.io/, carefully read the documentation, study the parameters, and then go back to my command-line tool to construct the request manually.
While this workflow worked, it wasn’t very efficient. Checking documentation, copying parameters, adjusting JSON structures, and testing repeatedly could be quite time-consuming.
So I started thinking: what if there were a website that listed all available Hive JSON-RPC methods, where I could simply click to select a node, choose an API, pick a method, and automatically load default parameters? That would make experimentation and learning much easier.
This idea stayed in my mind for quite a while, but I never actually implemented it. Recently, however, AI tools have become extremely powerful, making many development tasks much faster and easier than before. That finally gave me the opportunity to turn this idea into reality.
With the help of AI, I put together a small new tool called HIVE Lab.
HIVELab: A Simple Hive Developer Utility
HIVE Lab is a lightweight debugging tool designed for developers working with the Hive blockchain. Its main goal is to simplify the JSON-RPC calling process by providing a clean and intuitive interface for testing API requests and exploring on-chain data.
Key Features
RPC Debug Terminal
HIVE Lab includes a collection of commonly used Hive API methods. You can search methods by name, and each method comes with a basic parameter template, allowing you to quickly modify parameters and send requests without manually building JSON structures from scratch.
Formatted Data Display
API responses are automatically formatted as JSON with syntax highlighting, making it easier to inspect data structures and locate important fields.
CURL Export
The current request can be exported as a CURL command with one click, making it easy to reproduce the request in a local terminal or integrate it into other development environments.
Node Switching
The tool includes several commonly used public Hive nodes and provides a simple latency check. When a node becomes slow or unstable, you can quickly switch to another one.
Simple Interface Design
The interface uses a clean responsive layout and supports dark mode. The goal is to minimize visual distractions so developers can focus on the data and the API calls themselves.
Technical Implementation
Technically, HIVE Lab is a pure client-side application built with React. All requests are sent directly to Hive nodes, without passing through any intermediate server. The application does not store any private keys.
Because it is designed to be lightweight, it loads quickly and works well as a handy tool during development for testing APIs or verifying on-chain data.
A Small Discovery
However, after I had finished most of HIVE Lab, I discovered that https://api.hive.blog/ already provides very comprehensive API documentation along with a similar testing tool, and it is implemented quite well.
At that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder:
So… am I just reinventing the wheel?
Maybe.
(Illustration generated with the assistance of ChatGPT.)
But in the process of building HIVE Lab, I also realized that sometimes reinventing a wheel isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s part of learning, part of exploring, and occasionally you end up with a wheel that fits your own workflow just a little bit better.
Since this little wheel has already been built—somewhat unknowingly—I might as well keep using it.
If you are developing on Hive, or if you simply want a quick and straightforward way to explore Hive’s JSON-RPC APIs, feel free to try HIVE Lab: