Chain Management

Master multi-chain operations including switching networks, working with built-in chains, and understanding cross-chain considerations.

Understanding Blockchain Networks

What are Blockchain Networks?

Blockchain networks (or "chains") are independent blockchain systems that:

• Process Transactions - Each chain validates and records transactions

• Store State - Account balances, contract data, NFTs

• Use Native Currency - ETH, POL, BNB, etc. for gas fees

• Run Smart Contracts - DApps and protocols specific to each chain

EVM Compatibility

WalletAgent supports EVM-compatible chains that:

• Use Ethereum Virtual Machine

• Support Ethereum-style addresses (0x...)

• Allow Solidity smart contracts

• Use similar transaction formats

Supported Chains

Built-in Chains

WalletAgent includes these chains by default:

Chain	Chain ID	Native Currency	Purpose
Anvil	31337	ETH	Local development
Ethereum	1	ETH	Mainnet (view-only)
Sepolia	11155111	ETH	Ethereum testnet
Polygon	137	POL	Polygon PoS mainnet

Chain Details

Get Current Chain Information

Get current chain info

Example Output:

Current Chain: Anvil (31337)
Native Currency: ETH
RPC URL: http://127.0.0.1:8545

Available Chains:
- Anvil (31337) ← Current
- Ethereum (1)
- Sepolia (11155111)
- Polygon (137)

Switching Chains

Switch by Name

Change to any supported chain:

Switch to Polygon

Example Output:

🔄 Switched to Polygon successfully!

⛓️ Chain: Polygon (Chain ID: 137)  
💰 Balance: 10000.0 POL
🌐 RPC: https://polygon-rpc.com
🔍 Explorer: https://polygonscan.com

📊 Network Status:
- Gas Price: ~30 gwei
- Block Time: ~2.4 seconds
- Confirmation Time: ~5 seconds

💡 Native currency is now POL instead of ETH

Switch by Chain ID

Use numeric chain identifiers:

Switch to chain 11155111

Switch Back to Default

Return to Anvil for testing:

Switch to Anvil

Example Output:

🔄 Switched back to Anvil

⛓️ Chain: Anvil (Chain ID: 31337)
💰 Balance: 9999.0 ETH  
🌐 RPC: http://localhost:8545

✅ Back to safe testing environment
💡 Unlimited funds and instant transactions

Current Chain Information

Get Chain Status

Check your current network and available options:

Get chain info

Example Output:

Current Chain: Polygon (137)
Native Currency: POL
RPC URL: https://polygon-rpc.com

Available Chains:
- Anvil (31337)
- Ethereum (1)
- Sepolia (11155111)
- Polygon (137) ← Current

The tool shows:

• Your currently connected chain

• Native currency symbol

• RPC endpoint being used

• All available chains you can switch to

Built-in Chain Support

Supported Networks

WalletAgent includes built-in support for major EVM networks:

• Anvil (Chain ID: 31337) - Local development network with unlimited test funds

• Ethereum (Chain ID: 1) - Ethereum mainnet (view-only for safety)

• Sepolia (Chain ID: 11155111) - Ethereum testnet

• Polygon (Chain ID: 137) - Polygon PoS mainnet

These networks are pre-configured and ready to use without additional setup.

Network Information

Get Network Details

The chain info tool provides all essential network information in one command.

Example usage:

Get current chain info

Shows current chain, currency, RPC endpoint, and all available chains for easy switching.

Multi-Chain Operations

Balance Checking Across Chains

Check balances on different networks:

Switch to Ethereum
Check my balance
Switch to Polygon  
Check my balance
Switch to Anvil
Check my balance

This shows how the same wallet address can have different balances on each chain.

Token Management Across Chains

Understand how tokens work on different chains:

Switch to Ethereum
Get my USDC balance

Switch to Polygon
Get my USDC balance

Important: USDC on Ethereum ≠ USDC on Polygon

• Different contract addresses

• Require bridging to move between chains

• May have different names (USDC vs USDC.e)

Cross-Chain Considerations

Cross-Chain Limitations:

• Cannot send tokens directly between chains

• Each chain has separate native currencies

• Gas fees paid in chain's native token

• Smart contracts exist independently per chain

Chain-Specific Features

Gas Management by Chain

Each chain has different gas characteristics:

Chain	Gas Token	Typical Cost	Speed
Ethereum	ETH	High ($5-50+)	12 sec blocks
Polygon	POL	Very Low ($0.01)	2 sec blocks
Anvil	ETH	Free	Instant
Sepolia	ETH	Free (testnet)	12 sec blocks

Network-Specific Operations

Ethereum Features:

• ENS domain resolution

• Highest security and decentralization

• Most DeFi protocols

Polygon Features:

• Extremely low fees

• Fast transactions

• Gaming and NFT focus

Anvil Features:

• Instant transactions

• Unlimited test funds

• Perfect for development

Error Handling

Common Chain Errors

Chain Not Supported

❌ Chain "Fantom" not found

🔍 Available Chains:
- Anvil (31337)
- Ethereum (1)
- Sepolia (11155111)  
- Polygon (137)

🔧 Solutions:
- Use supported chain: "Switch to Polygon"
- Try available networks: "Switch to Sepolia" or "Switch to Anvil"
- Check spelling: "Switch to Ethereum"

RPC Connection Failed

❌ Failed to connect to Polygon network

🌐 RPC: https://polygon-rpc.com
🔧 Issue: Network timeout or RPC down

💡 Solutions:
- Try again: "Switch to Polygon"  
- Use different RPC: "Update Polygon RPC to https://matic-mainnet.chainstacklabs.com"
- Switch to working chain: "Switch to Anvil"

Insufficient Gas for Chain

❌ Insufficient POL for gas

💰 Required: ~0.01 POL
💰 Available: 0.0 POL  
⛓️ Chain: Polygon

🔧 Solutions:
- Get testnet POL: Use Polygon faucet
- Switch chains: "Switch to Anvil" (free gas)
- Use different wallet: "Connect to wallet with POL"

Chain Switching Issues

Wallet Not Connected

❌ Cannot switch chains: No wallet connected

🔧 Solution:
1. Connect wallet: "Connect to 0xf39F..."
2. Then switch: "Switch to Polygon"

💡 Wallet connection is required for chain operations

Unsupported Chain

❌ Requested chain is not supported

🔧 Supported Networks:
- Anvil (31337) - Local development
- Ethereum (1) - Mainnet (view-only)
- Sepolia (11155111) - Ethereum testnet
- Polygon (137) - Polygon mainnet

💡 Use one of the supported networks for your operations

Best Practices

Chain Selection Strategy

1. Development: Start with Anvil

   Switch to Anvil

2. Testing: Use appropriate testnets

   Switch to Sepolia  # For Ethereum testing

3. Production: Use mainnet only when ready

   Switch to Polygon  # Lower fees for users

Multi-Chain Portfolio Management

1. Track Balances: Regularly check all chains

2. Gas Planning: Keep native tokens for fees

3. Bridge Strategy: Plan token movement between chains

4. Security: Verify chain configuration before transactions

Network Safety

1. Test First: Always test on Anvil or testnet before mainnet

2. Verify Network: Confirm you're on the intended network

3. Start Small: Try small operations before large transactions

4. Monitor Status: Check network health before important operations

Advanced Features

Network Performance

Built-in networks are configured with reliable RPC endpoints:

• Anvil: Local network with instant transactions

• Built-in Networks: Pre-configured with reliable public endpoints

• Load Balancing: Automatic failover to backup endpoints when needed

• Optimized: Performance-tuned for common operations

Chain Monitoring

Check network health and statistics:

Get Polygon network status

Example Output:

📊 Polygon Network Status

⛓️ Chain: Polygon (137)
🌐 Network: Polygon PoS ✅ Healthy

📈 Network Metrics:
- Current Block: 52,847,456
- Average Block Time: 2.3 seconds  
- Gas Price: 32 gwei
- Network Utilization: 67%

🔗 Recent Blocks:
- 52847456: 156 transactions
- 52847455: 203 transactions
- 52847454: 178 transactions

✅ Network operating normally

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Network Timeout: Try alternative network

"Switch to Anvil for immediate testing"
"Try Sepolia testnet instead"

Chain Not Responding: Use backup network

"Switch to Anvil for local testing"
"Try different supported network"

Network Problems

Network Unavailable: Switch to working network

"Get current network status"
"Switch to Anvil for continued development"

Connection Issues: Use local development

"Switch to Anvil for offline development"
"Check network connectivity"

Next Steps

Now that you understand chain management, explore advanced topics:

👉 Security → - Multi-chain security practices 👉 Developer Guide → - Building multi-chain applications 👉 Advanced Topics → - Custom chain development

Practice Exercises

1. Chain Switching

   • Switch between all supported chains

   • Compare balances and gas costs

   • Practice network information retrieval

2. Development Workflow

   • Start development on Anvil

   • Test on Sepolia testnet

   • Compare mainnet networks

3. Multi-Chain Strategy

   • Plan token distribution across chains

   • Compare transaction costs

   • Understand bridge requirements

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You now have comprehensive knowledge of multi-chain operations! ⛓️