ADNL API
ADNL is TON’s peer-to-peer protocol for direct communication with nodes. Unlike HTTP APIs, it gives developers verifiable, low-level access to blockchain data and transaction submission.
Clients connect directly to lite servers (nodes) using a binary protocol.
The client downloads key blocks, the current state of an account, and their Merkle proofs, ensuring the validity of received data.
For read operations (such as get-method calls), the client launches a local TVM with a downloaded and verified state. There's no need to download the full blockchain state—the client only retrieves what’s required for the operation.
Read more about Merkle proofs in the TON Whitepaper (sections 2.3.10 and 2.3.11): https://docs.ton.org/ton.pdf
Pros & cons
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✅ Reliable - Uses Merkle proofs to verify incoming binary data.
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✅ Secure - Since it checks Merkle proofs, you can even use untrusted liteservers.
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✅ Fast - Connects directly to TON Blockchain nodes instead of relying on HTTP middleware.
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❌ Complex - Requires time to set up and understand.
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❌ Backend-first - Not compatible with web frontends (built for a non-HTTP protocol) unless you use an HTTP↔ADNL proxy.
API reference
Requests and responses follow the TonLib schema, the formal specification of the API provided by TonLib (TON Library) written in TL (Type Language). It allows you to generate a typed interface for a specific programming language.
See available SDKs for ADNL in the SDKs section. For protocol details, refer to the LiteServer TL schema.
Providers
The list of ADNL providers.