getBalance

getBalance is a function name commonly used in blockchain and cryptocurrency libraries to retrieve the balance of a given account or address. The function returns the amount held by the address, typically expressed in the network’s smallest unit (for example, wei on Ethereum or satoshis on Bitcoin). In many libraries, getBalance accepts an address and may also take an optional block parameter to fetch the balance as of a specific point in the chain (such as the latest block or a historical block).

The result is usually a numeric value represented in the smallest unit, and in some environments is returned as a string or a BigNumber to avoid floating-point inaccuracies. After retrieval, developers often convert or format the value into a more human-friendly unit, such as ether or BTC, using conversion utilities.

Common implementations vary by library. For example, web3.js provides web3.eth.getBalance(address, blockNumber), which returns a Promise resolving to a wei value. ethers.js offers provider.getBalance(address, blockTag), which returns a BigNumber in wei. Some REST or RPC APIs expose similar endpoints to query an account’s balance, generally returning the amount in the smallest unit.

Usage considerations include the fact that network state affects the reported balance, and requesting historical balances requires specifying a block or timestamp. The function typically does not account for pending transactions or unconfirmed changes until they are mined. Researchers and developers may use balance data in conjunction with unit conversion utilities and account management workflows.