# Quickstart Guide To Sui gRPC & GraphQL Data Access

Kevin Dwyer  
April 15, 2026  
3 min read

## In Brief

- [What You're Working With](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Step 1: Get Your Endpoint](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Step 2: Verify Your Connection](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Step 3: Explore Data with GraphQL](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Step 4: Build High-Performance Systems with gRPC](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Step 5: Choose the Right Interface](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Step 6: Use the TypeScript SDK](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Quick Reference](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)  
- [Need More Info?](/content/blog/sui-grpc-graphql-data-access-quickstart/#object-object/index.html)

Get live Sui blockchain data in minutes using high-performance and flexible query interfaces.

## **What You're Working With**

Ankr provides production-grade access to Sui through two primary interfaces built for modern applications:

Both are designed to give you efficient, scalable access to on-chain data without unnecessary overhead.

## **Step 1: Get Your Endpoint**

Create an account on [Ankr’s Web3 API service](/content/rpc/home/index.html). No credit card required.

Search for Sui and copy your endpoint for GraphQL or gRPC.

Add it to your environment variables or config.

## **Step 2: Verify Your Connection**

Before building, confirm your connection is working and synced.

With gRPC, call a lightweight method like `GetLatestCheckpoint` to confirm you are connected and receiving up-to-date data.

With GraphQL, run a simple query to fetch the latest checkpoint or basic chain data.

This quick check ensures you are working against the correct network from the start.

## **Step 3: Explore Data with GraphQL**

GraphQL is the fastest way to start working with Sui data.

It allows you to request exactly the fields you need, making it ideal for:

- Frontend applications
- Dashboards and analytics
- Rapid prototyping

Typical queries include:

- Wallet balances and owned objects
- Transaction history with filters
- Structured views of on-chain data

Because GraphQL avoids over-fetching, responses stay lightweight and efficient even as your queries grow more complex.

**Full reference: [Ankr Sui GraphQL docs](/content/docs/rpc-service/chains/chains-api/sui/graphql/index.html)**

## **Step 4: Build High-Performance Systems with gRPC**

For production systems that require speed and scale, you can use gRPC.

gRPC uses binary serialization over HTTP/2, which improves performance and reduces latency compared to text-based protocols.

Best suited for:

- Indexers and ingestion pipelines
- Backend services processing large volumes of data
- Infrastructure that needs consistent, low-latency access

Authentication is simple. Pass your API token in the `x-token` header.

Use `read_mask` to request only the fields you need and keep payload sizes minimal.

To get started:

`brew install grpcurl`

You can immediately begin testing endpoints and inspecting responses from the command line.

**Full method reference for mainnet, testnet, and archive: [Ankr Sui gRPC docs](/content/docs/rpc-service/chains/chains-api/sui/grpc/index.html)**

## **Step 5: Choose the Right Interface**

Use GraphQL when:

- You need flexibility in how data is shaped
- You are building user-facing applications
- You want to iterate quickly without managing complex request structures

Use gRPC when:

- You need maximum throughput and performance
- You are processing large volumes of blockchain data
- You are building backend systems or infrastructure

Many production systems use both. GraphQL for querying and exploration, gRPC for ingestion and scaling.

## **Step 6: Use the TypeScript SDK**

Most applications use the official [@mysten/sui SDK.](https://sdk.mystenlabs.com/sui)

It integrates directly with Ankr endpoints and simplifies working with Sui data by handling serialization, typing, and request structure for you.

Install:

`npm i @mysten/sui`

Initialize the client with your endpoint and start building.

Full SDK documentation is available at [docs.sui.io.](http://docs.sui.io/)

## **Quick Reference**

## **Need More Info?**

- **gRPC methods:** [Ankr Sui gRPC docs](/content/docs/rpc-service/chains/chains-api/sui/grpc/index.html)
- **GraphQL (mainnet):** [Ankr Sui GraphQL docs](/content/docs/rpc-service/chains/chains-api/sui/graphql/index.html)
- **Enterprise/custom needs:** sales@ankr.com