PHP libraries and tools that facilitate Bitcoin and cryptocurrency development

1. BlockCypher PHP Client

BlockCypher provides a versatile API for interacting with various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. The BlockCypher PHP Client is a library that allows developers to integrate their applications with BlockCypher’s API.

Features:

• Access blockchain data (e.g., transaction history, balance, and unconfirmed transactions).
• Create and broadcast transactions.
• Webhooks for transaction and address notifications.

Installation:

composer require blockcypher/php-client

Example: Checking an Address Balance

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use BlockCypher\Client\AddressClient;
use BlockCypher\Auth\SimpleTokenCredential;

$token = new SimpleTokenCredential('YOUR_API_KEY');
$addressClient = new AddressClient($token);

$address = '1DEP8i3QJCsomS4BSMY2RpU1upv62aGvhD';
$addressInfo = $addressClient->get($address);

echo "Address balance: " . $addressInfo->getBalance() . " satoshis" . PHP_EOL;

Output:

Address balance: 123456 satoshis

2. Nimiq PHP Library

Nimiq is a blockchain protocol designed for ease of use. The Nimiq PHP library allows for interaction with the Nimiq blockchain, which can be an interesting alternative for developers looking to explore other blockchain technologies.

Features:

• Generate addresses.
• Create and send transactions.
• Access blockchain data.

Installation:

composer require nimiq/community

Example: Generating a New Address

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use Nimiq\KeyPair;
use Nimiq\Address;

$keyPair = KeyPair::create();
$address = Address::fromKeyPair($keyPair);

echo "New Nimiq Address: " . $address->toUserFriendlyAddress() . PHP_EOL;

Output:

New Nimiq Address: NQ36 4W66 FT73 2K3X 9RQ1 D8GC 8HX1 H3N0 RQ9N

3. CoinPHP

CoinPHP is a simple PHP library to interface with the CoinGecko API. It allows developers to fetch cryptocurrency data such as prices, market data, and other information.

Features:

• Get current price of any cryptocurrency.
• Access market data and statistics.
• Fetch historical data.

Installation:

composer require madcoda/php-coingecko-api

Example: Fetching Bitcoin Price

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use Codenixsv\CoinGeckoApi\CoinGeckoClient;

$client = new CoinGeckoClient();
$data = $client->simple()->getPrice('bitcoin', 'usd');

echo "Current Bitcoin price: $" . $data['bitcoin']['usd'] . PHP_EOL;

Output:

Current Bitcoin price: $45000

4. PHP-ETH

PHP-ETH is a PHP library for interacting with the Ethereum blockchain. It allows for the creation and management of Ethereum transactions, addresses, and smart contracts.

Features:

• Generate Ethereum addresses.
• Create and sign Ethereum transactions.
• Interact with smart contracts.

Installation:

composer require sc0vu/web3.php

Example: Generating an Ethereum Address

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use Web3p\EthereumUtil\Util;

$util = new Util();
$privateKey = 'YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY';
$publicKey = $util->privateKeyToPublicKey($privateKey);
$address = $util->publicKeyToAddress($publicKey);

echo "Ethereum Address: " . $address . PHP_EOL;

Output:

Ethereum Address: 0x1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef12345678

5. Coinbase Commerce PHP SDK

Coinbase Commerce is a platform for merchants to accept cryptocurrency payments. The Coinbase Commerce PHP SDK provides a way to integrate with Coinbase Commerce’s API to handle payments in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Features:

• Create and manage charges.
• Check the status of payments.
• Webhooks for payment notifications.

Installation:

composer require coinbase/coinbase-commerce

Example: Creating a Charge

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use CoinbaseCommerce\ApiClient;
use CoinbaseCommerce\Resources\Charge;

ApiClient::init('YOUR_API_KEY');

$chargeData = [
    'name' => 'Test Charge',
    'description' => 'Test Description',
    'local_price' => [
        'amount' => '10.00',
        'currency' => 'USD'
    ],
    'pricing_type' => 'fixed_price'
];

$charge = Charge::create($chargeData);
echo "Charge created with ID: " . $charge->id . PHP_EOL;

Output:

Charge created with ID: dff7a6d5-5e1c-4c1b-a5f0-4b5e8c1a0f4c

Conclusion

While BitWasp is a powerful and comprehensive library for Bitcoin development in PHP, other libraries like BlockCypher PHP Client, Nimiq PHP Library, CoinPHP, PHP-ETH, and Coinbase Commerce PHP SDK offer diverse functionalities for different cryptocurrency needs. Each library has its strengths and is suited for specific tasks, from interacting with the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains to handling cryptocurrency payments and fetching market data. By exploring these libraries, developers can find the best tools to fit their specific requirements in the cryptocurrency space.