Configuration

Choosing an endpoint and transport

The default endpoint is https://api.steemit.com over HTTP (JSON-RPC). Change it with setOptions:

// HTTP / JSON-RPC (recommended)
steem.api.setOptions({ url: 'https://api.steemit.com' });

// WebSocket
steem.api.setOptions({ url: 'wss://some.node:port' });

The transport is chosen from the URL scheme:

URL scheme	Transport
http:// or https://	HTTP JSON-RPC
ws:// or wss://	WebSocket

A few capabilities are HTTP-only — notably the raw call / signedCall methods, which throw if you are connected over WebSocket.

Transport details (isomorphic):

• HTTP uses the runtime’s global fetch (Node 18+, browsers, edge, Deno). Override it per instance with setOptions({ fetchMethod }) — handy for proxies, custom headers, auth, or tests.
• WebSocket uses the global WebSocket where available (browsers, Deno, Node 22+), falling back to the optional ws package on older Node (npm install ws). Edge runtimes are HTTP-only — use the default transport there.

// Custom fetch (e.g. inject an API key / proxy)
steem.api.setOptions({
  url: 'https://api.steemit.com',
  fetchMethod: (uri, options) => fetch(uri, { ...options, headers: { ...options.headers, 'x-api-key': KEY } }),
});

// Automatic retries on transient failures (non-broadcast calls)
steem.api.setOptions({ url: 'https://api.steemit.com', retry: true });
steem.api.setOptions({ url: 'https://api.steemit.com', retry: { retries: 3, minTimeout: 200 } });

config.get / config.set

steem.config holds the chain parameters. The defaults target Steem mainnet:

steem.config.get('address_prefix'); // 'STM'
steem.config.get('chain_id');       // mainnet chain id
steem.config.set('address_prefix', 'STM');

To target a different chain (for example, an alternative network), set its prefix and chain id explicitly:

steem.api.setOptions({ url: 'wss://ws.example.io' });
steem.config.set('address_prefix', 'XYZ');
steem.config.set('chain_id', '<chain id hex>');

Testnet

steem.api.setOptions({
  address_prefix: 'TST',
  chain_id: '46d82ab7d8db682eb1959aed0ada039a6d49afa1602491f93dde9cac3e8e6c32',
  useTestNet: true,
});

Passing useTestNet: true to setOptions also flips address_prefix to TST. The chain id can change between testnet launches; check the relevant announcement if signing fails.

Other setOptions keys

Option	Purpose
url	Endpoint; also selects the transport
useTestNet	Convenience flag; sets the TST address prefix
logger	A function (…args) or an object with a .log method, used to trace requests/responses
transport	Force a transport: 'http', 'ws', or a custom transport class
fetchMethod	A fetch-compatible function used by the HTTP transport (defaults to the global fetch)
retry	true for default retries, or an options object ({ retries, minTimeout, … }); broadcast ops are never retried
useAppbaseApi	Route calls through condenser_api

steem.api.setWebSocket(url) and steem.api.setUri(url) are thin shortcuts over setOptions.

Raw RPC calls

Over HTTP you can issue arbitrary JSON-RPC calls without a generated wrapper:

steem.api.call('condenser_api.get_accounts', [['ned']], (err, res) => {});

// Signed (authenticated) RPC call:
steem.api.signedCall(method, params, account, wif, (err, res) => {});

Both have …Async promise variants (callAsync, signedCallAsync).

Multiple instances

The default export is a ready-to-use singleton (steem.api). To run more than one connection, construct your own with the Steem class (attached as steem.api.Steem):

import steem from '@blazeapps/steem';

const Node = steem.api.Steem;
const node = new Node({ url: 'https://api.steemit.com' });
const [account] = await node.getAccountsAsync(['ned']);