Inspect a Zcash transaction

Given a TX ID, Prep can ask its configured node whether that transaction is pending, mined or not currently observed. The response also contains decoded public fields and counts for Sapling, Orchard and Ironwood components.

This tutorial uses the live transaction observation route. For a transaction ID within a known archived range, see the bounded lookup method.

1. Install the client

Use Node.js 22.18+ and pnpm, or npm using the alternative below. In a working directory:

npm init -y
pnpm add @zeer-dev/prep-client@0.1.0

With npm, use npm install @zeer-dev/prep-client@0.1.0 instead.

2. Read the transaction

Save this as inspect-transaction.mjs:

import { PrepClient } from "@zeer-dev/prep-client";

const txid = process.argv[2];
if (!txid || !/^[0-9a-f]{64}$/.test(txid)) {
  throw new Error("Supply a lowercase 64-character transaction ID.");
}
const client = new PrepClient({
  url: process.env.PREP_URL ?? "https://zeer.endpx.cloud/api/prep",
  token: process.env.PREP_API_TOKEN,
});
const observation = await client.getTransaction(txid);
if (observation.status === "not_observed") {
  console.log(JSON.stringify({ txid, status: observation.status, observedAt: observation.observed_at }));
} else {
  const tx = observation.transaction;
  console.log(JSON.stringify({
    txid,
    status: observation.status,
    blockHeight: observation.block_height,
    confirmations: observation.confirmations,
    observedAt: observation.observed_at,
    coinbase: tx.is_coinbase,
    type: tx.transaction_type,
    saplingSpends: tx.sapling_spend_count,
    saplingOutputs: tx.sapling_output_count,
    orchardActions: tx.orchard_action_count,
    ironwoodActions: tx.ironwood_action_count,
    decoded: observation.decoded,
  }, null, 2));
}

3. Inspect a shielded example

Run the published Zeer demo transaction:

node inspect-transaction.mjs b9444bea5e092925ddfa52dbfbd8d1075c62b8b234260df3d9b9179f0a8d2d6e

At the example's verification it was mined at block 4523289, with coinbase: false and Ironwood actions. The status and confirmation count are current source observations, so read the response rather than hardcoding them.

You can also open the transaction inspector to browse Overview, Inputs / outputs and Raw.

Interpret the response

Value	Meaning
`pending`	The configured source currently observes it in the mempool; block height and confirmations are null
`mined`	The source reports a containing block and confirmation count
`not_observed`	This lookup did not return it; this does not prove it never existed
`is_coinbase`	The actual block-reward input marker, independent of the pools used
`transaction_type`	Source classification: coinbase, transparent, shielded, mixed or unknown
Pool counts	Public transaction components, including possible padding; not a count of recipients or payments

Decoded public fields can contain transparent values, commitment data and encrypted shielded payloads. Numeric values inside decoded JSON are strings to preserve precision. A public lookup cannot reveal a shielded note's receiver, amount or memo text.

For authorized note values and memos, continue with Chef's local viewing-key setup and reading receipts and memos. Viewing keys stay in your own environment.

1. Install the client​

2. Read the transaction​

3. Inspect a shielded example​

Interpret the response​

1. Install the client

2. Read the transaction

3. Inspect a shielded example

Interpret the response