TOM MITCHELHILL
Google Cloud has launched a blockchain Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service to make it easier for cryptocurrency developers to interact with blockchain data and improve the reliability of decentralized applications (DApps).
The new service will initially support the Ethereum mainnet and testnet, with plans to expand to more blockchains in the coming year, Google Cloud said in a Sept. 17 blog post.
The blockchain RPC service will initially launch with a free tier offering up to 100 call requests per second and one million requests per day, with support for EIP-1474, a defined set of RPC methods for Ethereum nodes.
Google Cloud said its Blockchain RPC is fully compatible with Ethereum’s JSON-RPC standard, which would allow cryptocurrency developers to integrate it into Ethereum-based DApps with a single line of code.
An RPC is a software communication protocol that one program uses to request a service from another program located on a different computer and network.
Google Cloud noted that RPC reliability has proven to be an ongoing challenge for many cryptocurrency developers, as even minor delays or errors can impact the performance of decentralized applications, many of which require the ability to settle and process transactions near-instantly.
Blockchain networks typically experience issues with RPCs during periods of unusually high network activity or high transaction volumes.
In June, Ethereum's Layer 2 scaling network ZKsync experienced major delays and degradation in network functionality due to high activity and issues with RPC providers.
On April 25, Google Cloud launched a suite of products called Web3 Portal, which offers resources for blockchain developers, including datasets and tutorials, receiving mixed reviews from cryptocurrency experts.
Several cryptocurrency commentators criticized Google's Web3 portal for its "terrible" user interface, while others expressed concern about the lack of support for major blockchain ecosystems like Bitcoin.
