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viem-integration

uniswap/uniswap-ai

Integrate EVM blockchains with viem for TypeScript—read data, send transactions, and interact with smart contracts.

What is viem-integration?

viem is a TypeScript library for interacting with EVM blockchains. Use it when you need to read blockchain data, send transactions, call smart contracts, or integrate wallet functionality in Node.js backends or React frontends.

  • Create public clients for read-only blockchain operations (balances, contract reads, logs)
  • Create wallet clients for write operations (transactions, contract writes, message signing)
  • Support multiple transports: HTTP RPC, WebSocket for real-time events, and custom browser wallet integration
  • Validate and encode Ethereum addresses, chain IDs, and contract ABIs with built-in utilities
  • Handle unit conversions between wei and human-readable token amounts
  • Provide typed error handling for contract execution and transaction failures

How to install viem-integration

npx skills add https://github.com/uniswap/uniswap-ai --skill viem-integration
Prerequisites
  • Node.js and npm installed
  • Basic understanding of Ethereum addresses and transactions
  • An RPC endpoint URL (public or private) for the target chain
  • For write operations: a private key stored securely in environment variables
Claude Code
Cursor
Windsurf
Cline

How to use viem-integration

  1. 1.Install viem with `npm install viem` (add `wagmi` for React apps)
  2. 2.Choose a client type: PublicClient for reads, WalletClient for writes
  3. 3.Select a transport (http, webSocket, or custom) and chain from viem/chains
  4. 4.Create the client with the appropriate chain and transport configuration
  5. 5.Use client methods like getBalance, readContract, sendTransaction, or writeContract
  6. 6.For contract interactions, provide the contract address, ABI, and function arguments
  7. 7.Validate all user inputs (addresses, chain IDs, amounts) before encoding
  8. 8.Handle errors with typed catch blocks for ContractFunctionExecutionError and InsufficientFundsError

Use cases

Good for
  • Build a Node.js script to monitor token balances across multiple wallets and chains
  • Create a React app with wagmi hooks to let users connect wallets and swap tokens
  • Set up real-time event monitoring using WebSocket transport to track contract events
  • Implement a backend service that reads Uniswap contract data and sends transactions on behalf of users
  • Develop a multi-chain portfolio tracker that queries balances on Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base
Who it's for
  • Backend developers building blockchain automation or monitoring services
  • React/Next.js frontend developers integrating wallet connections and on-chain interactions
  • Full-stack developers implementing DeFi applications or token swaps
  • DevOps engineers setting up blockchain data pipelines
  • Blockchain developers familiar with Solidity who want TypeScript tooling

viem-integration FAQ

When should I use PublicClient vs WalletClient?

Use PublicClient for read-only operations like fetching balances or reading contract state. Use WalletClient for write operations like sending transactions or calling contract functions that modify state.

How do I avoid hardcoding private keys?

Always load private keys from environment variables using `process.env.PRIVATE_KEY` and validate them at runtime. Never commit keys to version control.

What's the difference between viem and wagmi?

viem is the core library for EVM interactions. wagmi is a React hooks library built on top of viem, providing convenient hooks for wallet connection, contract reading/writing, and transaction management in React apps.

Which transport should I use for my use case?

Use `http()` for standard RPC calls (most common). Use `webSocket()` for real-time event subscriptions. Use `custom()` for browser wallets that inject `window.ethereum`.

How do I handle contract ABIs?

Use `parseAbi()` to define ABIs as human-readable strings, or import full JSON ABIs. Always validate that function names and argument types match your contract before calling.

Full instructions (SKILL.md)

Source of truth, from uniswap/uniswap-ai.


name: viem-integration description: Integrate EVM blockchains using viem. Use when user says "read blockchain data", "send transaction", "interact with smart contract", "connect to Ethereum", "use viem", "use wagmi", "wallet integration", "viem setup", or mentions blockchain/EVM development with TypeScript. allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep, Bash(npm:), Bash(npx:), WebFetch, Task(subagent_type:viem-integration-expert) model: opus license: MIT metadata: author: uniswap version: '1.0.0'

viem Integration

Integrate EVM blockchains using viem for TypeScript/JavaScript applications.

Quick Decision Guide

Building...Use This
Node.js script/backendviem with http transport
React/Next.js frontendwagmi hooks (built on viem)
Real-time event monitoringviem with webSocket transport
Browser wallet integrationwagmi or viem custom transport

Installation

# Core library
npm install viem

# For React apps, also install wagmi
npm install wagmi viem @tanstack/react-query

Core Concepts

Clients

viem uses two client types:

ClientPurposeExample Use
PublicClientRead-only operationsGet balances, read contracts, fetch logs
WalletClientWrite operationsSend transactions, sign messages

Transports

TransportUse Case
http()Standard RPC calls (most common)
webSocket()Real-time event subscriptions
custom()Browser wallets (window.ethereum)

Chains

viem includes 50+ chain definitions. Import from viem/chains:

import { mainnet, arbitrum, optimism, base, polygon } from 'viem/chains';

Input Validation Rules

Before interpolating ANY user-provided value into generated TypeScript code:

  • Ethereum addresses: MUST match ^0x[a-fA-F0-9]{40}$ — use viem's isAddress() for validation
  • Chain IDs: MUST be from viem's supported chain definitions
  • Private keys: MUST NEVER be hardcoded — always use process.env.PRIVATE_KEY with runtime validation
  • RPC URLs: MUST use https:// or wss:// protocols only
  • ABI inputs: Validate types match expected Solidity types before encoding

Quick Start Examples

Read Balance

import { createPublicClient, http, formatEther } from 'viem';
import { mainnet } from 'viem/chains';

const client = createPublicClient({
  chain: mainnet,
  transport: http(),
});

const balance = await client.getBalance({
  address: '0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045',
});

console.log(`Balance: ${formatEther(balance)} ETH`);

Read Contract

import { createPublicClient, http, parseAbi } from 'viem';
import { mainnet } from 'viem/chains';

const client = createPublicClient({
  chain: mainnet,
  transport: http(),
});

const abi = parseAbi([
  'function balanceOf(address) view returns (uint256)',
  'function decimals() view returns (uint8)',
]);

const balance = await client.readContract({
  address: '0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48', // USDC
  abi,
  functionName: 'balanceOf',
  args: ['0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045'],
});

Send Transaction

import { createWalletClient, http, parseEther } from 'viem';
import { privateKeyToAccount } from 'viem/accounts';
import { mainnet } from 'viem/chains';

const account = privateKeyToAccount(process.env.PRIVATE_KEY as `0x${string}`);

const client = createWalletClient({
  account,
  chain: mainnet,
  transport: http(),
});

const hash = await client.sendTransaction({
  to: '0x...',
  value: parseEther('0.1'),
});

console.log(`Transaction hash: ${hash}`);

Write to Contract

import { createWalletClient, createPublicClient, http, parseAbi, parseUnits } from 'viem';
import { privateKeyToAccount } from 'viem/accounts';
import { mainnet } from 'viem/chains';

const account = privateKeyToAccount(process.env.PRIVATE_KEY as `0x${string}`);

const walletClient = createWalletClient({
  account,
  chain: mainnet,
  transport: http(),
});

const publicClient = createPublicClient({
  chain: mainnet,
  transport: http(),
});

const abi = parseAbi(['function transfer(address to, uint256 amount) returns (bool)']);

// Simulate first to catch errors
const { request } = await publicClient.simulateContract({
  address: '0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48',
  abi,
  functionName: 'transfer',
  args: ['0x...', parseUnits('100', 6)],
  account,
});

// Execute the transaction
const hash = await walletClient.writeContract(request);

// Wait for confirmation
const receipt = await publicClient.waitForTransactionReceipt({ hash });
console.log(`Confirmed in block ${receipt.blockNumber}`);

Reference Documentation

For deeper coverage of specific topics:

TopicReference File
Client setup, transports, chainsClients & Transports
Reading blockchain dataReading Data
Sending transactionsWriting Transactions
Private keys, HD walletsAccounts & Keys
ABI handling, multicallContract Patterns
React/wagmi hooksWagmi React

Related Plugins

Once you're comfortable with viem basics, the uniswap-trading plugin provides comprehensive Uniswap swap integration:

  • Uniswap Trading API integration
  • Universal Router SDK usage
  • Token swap implementations

Install it with: claude plugin add @uniswap/uniswap-trading


Common Utilities

Unit Conversion

import { parseEther, formatEther, parseUnits, formatUnits } from 'viem';

// ETH
parseEther('1.5'); // 1500000000000000000n (wei)
formatEther(1500000000000000000n); // "1.5"

// Tokens (e.g., USDC with 6 decimals)
parseUnits('100', 6); // 100000000n
formatUnits(100000000n, 6); // "100"

Address Utilities

import { getAddress, isAddress } from 'viem';

isAddress('0x...'); // true/false
getAddress('0x...'); // checksummed address

Hashing

import { keccak256, toHex } from 'viem';

keccak256(toHex('hello')); // 0x1c8aff950685c2ed4bc3174f3472287b56d9517b9c948127319a09a7a36deac8

Error Handling

viem throws typed errors that can be caught and handled:

import { ContractFunctionExecutionError, InsufficientFundsError } from 'viem'

try {
  await client.writeContract(...)
} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof ContractFunctionExecutionError) {
    console.error('Contract call failed:', error.shortMessage)
  }
  if (error instanceof InsufficientFundsError) {
    console.error('Not enough ETH for gas')
  }
}

Resources