web3.js/docs/web3.rst

====
web3
====

The web3.js object is a container object to house all ethereum related modules.

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version
============

.. code-block:: javascript

    web3.version

Contains the version of the ``web3`` container object.

-------
Returns
-------

``String``: The current version.

-------
Example
-------

.. code-block:: javascript

    web3.version;
    > "1.0.0"

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providers
=====================

.. code-block:: javascript

    web3.providers

Will return an object with different available providers to use when instantiating ``Web3``


-------
Returns
-------

``Object``: A list of providers.

-------
Example
-------

.. code-block:: javascript

    web3.providers
    > {
        HttpProvider: HttpProvider,
        IpcProvider: IpcProvider,
        WebsocketProvider: WebsocketProvider
    }

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setProvider
=====================

.. code-block:: javascript

    web3.setProvider(myProvider)

When called changes the current provider for all modules.

----------
Parameters
----------

``Object`` - **myProvider**: a valid provider with at least ``send``, ``on`` function

-------
Returns
-------

``undefined``

-------
Example
-------

.. code-block:: javascript

    web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider('http://localhost:8545'));


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currentProvider
=====================

.. code-block:: javascript

    web3.currentProvider

Will return the current provider, otherwise ``null``.


-------
Returns
-------

``Object``: The current provider set or ``null``;

-------
Example
-------

.. code-block:: javascript
    if(!web3.currentProvider)
        web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider("http://localhost:8545"));

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