Guide

Working with Inscriptions

Learn how to fetch, manage, and send Bitcoin Ordinal inscriptions using LaserEyes.

LaserEyes provides comprehensive support for Bitcoin Ordinal inscriptions, allowing you to easily fetch, display, and transfer inscriptions across different Bitcoin wallets.

Key Features

Fetch Inscriptions

Retrieve inscriptions for any Bitcoin address with pagination support.

Send Inscriptions

Securely transfer inscriptions between addresses with built-in PSBT support.

Rich Metadata

Access comprehensive inscription metadata including content type, preview, and transaction details.

Safe Transfers

Built-in safety checks and validations for secure inscription transfers.

The Inscription Type

Inscription Interface

type Inscription = {
  id: string;              // Unique identifier
  inscriptionId: string;   // Ordinal inscription ID
  content: string;         // Content data
  number: number;          // Inscription number
  address: string;         // Current owner address
  contentType: string;     // MIME type of content
  output: string;          // UTXO containing the inscription
  location: string;        // Location within the UTXO
  genesisTransaction: string; // Transaction where inscription was created
  height: number;          // Block height of inscription
  preview: string;         // Preview URL if available
  outputValue: number;     // Value of the UTXO
  offset?: number;         // Offset within the UTXO
}

Fetching Inscriptions

Example

import { useLaserEyes } from '@omnisat/lasereyes-react'
import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'

function InscriptionsList() {
  const { getInscriptions } = useLaserEyes()
  const [inscriptions, setInscriptions] = useState([])

  useEffect(() => {
    const fetchInscriptions = async () => {
      // Fetch first 20 inscriptions
      const results = await getInscriptions(0, 20)
      setInscriptions(results)
    }

    fetchInscriptions()
  }, [])

  return (
    <div>
      {inscriptions.map(inscription => (
        <div key={inscription.id}>
          <img 
            src={inscription.preview} 
            alt={`Inscription #${inscription.number}`}
          />
          <p>Number: {inscription.number}</p>
          <p>Content Type: {inscription.contentType}</p>
        </div>
      ))}
    </div>
  )
}

Sending Inscriptions

Example

import { useLaserEyes } from '@omnisat/lasereyes-react'
import { useState } from 'react'

function SendInscription() {
  const { sendInscriptions } = useLaserEyes()
  const [sending, setSending] = useState(false)

  const handleSend = async () => {
    try {
      setSending(true)
      
      // Send multiple inscriptions to an address
      const txId = await sendInscriptions(
        ['inscription1', 'inscription2'],
        'bc1p...'  // Recipient address
      )

      console.log('Transaction ID:', txId)
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to send:', error)
    } finally {
      setSending(false)
    }
  }

  return (
    <button 
      onClick={handleSend}
      disabled={sending}
    >
      {sending ? 'Sending...' : 'Send Inscriptions'}
    </button>
  )
}

Best Practices

1. Pagination

Always implement pagination when fetching inscriptions to improve performance and user experience. The getInscriptions method accepts offset and limit parameters.

2. Error Handling

Implement proper error handling for both fetching and sending inscriptions. Network issues or wallet rejections should be handled gracefully.

3. Loading States

Show appropriate loading states during inscription operations. Both fetching and sending can take time to complete.

4. Validation

Always validate inscription IDs and recipient addresses before attempting transfers. The sendInscriptions method will throw if inscriptions are not found.

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