HTTPS outcalls overview
Canister smart contracts can make a request to a URL using HTTPS outcalls. HTTPS outcalls can be used to directly obtain off-chain data or interact with off-chain systems, such as Web 2.0 services or enterprise IT infrastructure.
HTTPS outcalls enable a wide range of applications. For example, oracle services can directly integrate with ICP in a trustless manner, and dapps can provide user notifications or anything else that requires communication with servers on the Internet.
Some examples of on-chain oracle-like services that obtain data from off-chain sources through HTTP outcalls include the EVM RPC canister, the exchange rate canister or the Orally dapp.
How it works
For detailed information on how it works, please refer to the HTTPS outcalls - How it works.
How to make a request
For detailed information on how to utilize this feature, please refer to the HTTPS outcalls - How to use page.
The documentation includes examples demonstrating how to make the following types of requests:
Examples
Refer to the following examples of HTTPS outcalls implementations in canister smart contracts:
- Fetch price information for DeFi protocols using the exchange rate canister.
- Communicate with other chains using the EVM RPC canister.
- Fetch information about Bitcoin Ordinals and Bitcoin Meta-Protocols using the Ordinals canister.