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+<pre>
+ BIP: 122
+ Title: URI scheme for Blockchain references / exploration
+ Author: Marco Pontello <marcopon@gmail.com>
+ Status: Draft
+ Type: Standards Track
+ Created: 29 August 2015
+ Post-History: https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2015-August/010712.html
+</pre>
+
+==Abstract==
+
+This BIP propose an URI scheme for looking up blocks, transactions, addresses on a Blockchain explorer, or in general to make proper Blockchain references
+
+==Motivation==
+
+The purpose of this URI scheme is to enable users to handle all the requests for details about blocks, transactions, etc. with their preferred tool (being that a web service or a local application).
+Currently a Bitcoin client usually points to an arbitrary blockchain explorer when the user looks for the details of a transaction, or let him choose from a limited list of possible alternatives.
+Other times resorting to cut&paste is needed.
+The same happens with posts and messages that reference some particular txs or blocks, if they provide links at all.
+
+==Specification==
+
+The URI follow this form:
+
+ <nowiki>blockchain:[//chain]</type/hash></nowiki>
+
+Where:
+
+{| class="wikitable"
+! style="text-align: center;" | Element
+! colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | Description
+!
+|-
+| chain
+| colspan="2" | '''chain ID''' (see below) of the desired chain, leading 0s included. If omitted (which would be the usual case), Bitcoin main net is assumed.
+| optional
+|-
+| rowspan="3" | type
+| tx
+| for transactions.
+| rowspan="3" |
+|-
+| block
+| for blocks (supports both hash or height).
+|-
+| address
+| for addresses.
+|-
+| hash
+| colspan="2" | the relevant hash to refer to (leading zeros included), or block height.
+|
+|}
+
+----
+===Definition of chain ID===
+
+The '''chain ID''' of a chain is the block hash of the corresponding genesis block. For forked chains, it's the block hash of the first block after fork.
+
+So, for example:
+<pre>
+Bitcoin main : 000000000019d6689c085ae165831e934ff763ae46a2a6c172b3f1b60a8ce26f
+Bitcoin test : 000000000933ea01ad0ee984209779baaec3ced90fa3f408719526f8d77f4943
+Bitcoin regtest: 0f9188f13cb7b2c71f2a335e3a4fc328bf5beb436012afca590b1a11466e2206
+</pre>
+
+An example of forked chain (Feathercoin, that forked Litecoin):
+
+<img src=bip-0122/chainid.png></img>
+
+<pre>
+Litecoin : 12a765e31ffd4059bada1e25190f6e98c99d9714d334efa41a195a7e7e04bfe2
+Feathercoin: fdbe99b90c90bae7505796461471d89ae8388ab953997aa06a355bbda8d915cb
+</pre>
+
+
+==Examples==
+
+A transaction on Bitcoin main net:
+ blockchain:/tx/b462ae6eb8bdae2e060239a2a3ea5d9c3e0f9ef34d9717beb2dcf0ed42cee7da
+
+A block on Bitcoin main net:
+ blockchain:/block/00000000000000000119af5bcae2926df54ae262e9071a94a99c913cc217cc72
+or
+ blockchain:/block/372338
+
+An address on Bitcoin main net:
+ blockchain:/address/16EW6Rv9P9AxFDBrZV816dD4sj1EAYUX3f
+
+A transaction on Bitcoin test net:
+ blockchain://000000000933ea01ad0ee984209779baaec3ced90fa3f408719526f8d77f4943/tx/3b95a766d7a99b87188d6875c8484cb2b310b78459b7816d4dfc3f0f7e04281a
+
+==Rationale==
+
+From the point of view of a wallet (or other Blockchain related tool) developer that need to show any kind of Blockchain references, using this scheme mean that he can simply make it a blockchain: link and be done with it, without having to worry about any specific Blockchain explorer or provide a means for the user to select one.
+
+Blockchain explorers in turn will simply offer to handle the blockchain: URI, the first time the user visit their website, or launch/install the application, or even set themselves if there isn't already one.
+
+Users get the convenience of using always their preferred explorer, which can be especially handy on mobile devices, where juggling with cut&paste is far from ideal.
+
+== Sample implementation ==
+
+[https://github.com/MarcoPon/blockchain-exploration Demo Blockchain: URI handler on GitHub]
+
+==Acknowledgements==
+Thanks to Btc Drak for suggesting to provide support for different networks.
+Thanks to Jorge Timon for the idea of using genesis blocks hashes to identify them.
+Thanks to Richard Moore, Matt Whitlock, Andreas Schildbach for suggestions about the structure and hierarchy of the URI scheme.
+
+==Copyright==
+
+This document is placed in the public domain. \ No newline at end of file