Allium Data

Allium Blockchain Data (CLI)

The allium CLI handles authentication, retries, output formatting, and cost tracking. Prefer it over raw HTTP calls.

Verify CLI

Run command -v allium (or allium --help). If missing, read references/setup.md for install + auth setup.

Two Products

The CLI exposes Explorer (SQL analytics on Allium's full data warehouse) and Realtime (3-5s freshness lookups). Both are first-class — pick by the question.

Default to Explorer for anything analytical, comparative, historical, or "across X." Realtime is for current state of a known address / token.

Before Calling Any Endpoint

• Explorer: read references/explorer.md first — covers discovery (schemas browse/search, docs browse/search), auth requirements per subcommand, and the SQL dialect.
• Realtime: read references/realtime/overview.md — supported chains discovery, error codes, pagination, conventions.

How to Run Commands

Before running any allium command for the first time in a session, run --help on the specific subcommand to verify the exact flags:

# First: check available flags
allium explorer schemas browse --help

# Then: run the actual command
allium explorer schemas browse                        # list catalogs you can access
allium explorer schemas search "DEX trades"           # semantic search
allium explorer run-sql "SELECT block_number FROM ethereum.raw.blocks LIMIT 5"

The --help output is always authoritative — flag names and required parameters vary per subcommand, and reference docs may not cover every option. Do this once per subcommand and reuse.

Pick Your Command

Explorer (SQL analytics on the warehouse)

Start here for any analytical question. Discovery first, then SQL.

Realtime (live indexed data, 3-5s freshness)

If allium <subcommand> --help returns "no such command," upgrade the CLI — see references/setup.md.

Common Tokens

Don't guess addresses. Use these:

Chain names are lowercase. ethereum, base, solana, arbitrum, polygon, hyperevm.

Global Flags

Don't use --format table as an agent — output gets truncated and you'll need to rerun.

Best Practices

1. Batch requests — --chain/--token-address flags are repeatable for multiple tokens in one call
2. Use --format json — pipe into jq for structured post-processing
3. Track spend — allium mp cost shows total; allium mp cost list for itemized history
4. Handle 429 — wait 1 second, then retry
5. Switch profiles — allium auth use <name> to change active auth

Endpoint Costs

Explorer

Realtime

Batch calls (multiple --chain/--token-address pairs) cost the same as a single pair.

References