Understanding Metamask Pending Events
As a developer building custom Remote Procedure Call (RPC) endpoints for decentralized applications (dApps), you are likely familiar with the concept of waiting for events on your blockchain network. One common question that comes to mind when you encounter a pending event is: what is taking up space while my application is waiting for confirmation?
In this article, we will explore how Metamask works and provide insights into its pending events.
What is Metamask?
Metamask is a popular browser extension that allows users to interact with their Ethereum wallet and use various dApps. It acts as an intermediary between the user’s local blockchain storage and the external applications they want to use.
Waiting for an event in RPC
When you make an event using a custom RPC endpoint, Metamask creates a “pending” event in its database. This is a common practice, as some dApps require you to wait a certain amount of time (e.g. 1 hour) before they update their UI with transaction information.
Why is Metamask waiting?
In your case, when you call “sendRawTransaction” and receive a pending transaction in RPC, it is likely due to the following reasons:
- Internal processing: Metamask needs to perform internal validation, verification, or other tasks before allowing the transaction to be sent.
- External API requests
: Depending on how custom your endpoint is interacting with the dApp, you may need to send an external request (e.g. a POST request) to get more information about the pending transaction.
What does it mean for my application?
When a pending transaction is waiting for confirmation in Metamask, your application should wait patiently. However, there is a subtle difference:
- Your application will not be blocked: Unlike some other wallets that may delay or freeze transactions, you will not face issues with your application being blocked.
- Transaction processing may take longer: Since Metamask processes the pending transaction internally, it may take a little longer for your application to receive confirmation (e.g. 10-20 minutes).
Best practices
To ensure seamless interaction between your custom RPC endpoint and Metamask:
- Implement a timeout mechanism
: Set a reasonable timeout value for the pending transaction so that you can detect when the pending transaction has been resolved.
- Use asynchronous communication: When sending an external request (e.g. to retrieve additional information), use asynchronous programming techniques to minimize blocking of your application.
- Keep your RPC endpoint up to date: Update your custom RPC endpoint regularly to ensure it is compatible with the latest version of Metamask.
By understanding what Metamask expects and implementing best practices, you can create a more efficient and user-friendly experience for your dApp users.