Get an open-source block explorer working on the Homestead extension

[bobsummerwill-openclaw-bot]

Goal

Set up a self-hosted open-source block explorer for the revived Frontier chain, so users can browse blocks, transactions, and accounts.

Options

1. BlockScout (recommended)

• https://github.com/blockscout/blockscout
• Most mature open-source EVM explorer, used by hundreds of chains
• Elixir/Phoenix backend, PostgreSQL
• Full Etherscan-like UI (blocks, txs, addresses, contract verification)
• Actively maintained, large community
• Docker deployment available
• Concern: Frontier is pre-EIP-155 (no chain ID in txs), pre-Byzantium (no REVERT, different receipt format). BlockScout may need patches for these old formats

2. Otterscan

• https://github.com/otterscan/otterscan
• Lightweight, runs against Erigon node (requires Erigon-specific APIs)
• React frontend, no separate database needed
• Very fast, but tightly coupled to Erigon
• Concern: Requires Erigon, not Geth. May not work with Frontier-era chain

3. Expedition

• https://github.com/etclabscore/expedition
• Simple, lightweight explorer originally built for ETC
• React SPA that talks directly to JSON-RPC
• No database, no indexer — just reads from the node
• Pro: Simplest to deploy, most likely to work with Frontier out of the box since it uses basic JSON-RPC
• Con: Very basic UI, no contract verification, limited features

4. EtherChain Light

• https://github.com/gobitfly/etherchain-light
• Node.js, lightweight, designed for private/test chains
• Con: Possibly unmaintained

5. Ethernal

• https://tryethernal.com / https://github.com/tryethernal/ethernal
• Designed specifically for private EVM chains
• Good for dev/test environments

Recommendation

Start with Expedition for a quick win — it uses basic JSON-RPC so it's most likely to work with Frontier's old format without modifications. Then consider BlockScout for a full-featured explorer, accepting that it may need patches for pre-Byzantium receipt/tx formats.

Considerations

• Frontier has no EIP-155 chain ID
• Pre-Byzantium transaction receipts (no status field, only root)
• No REVERT opcode
• Homestead fork changes (tx validation)
• The explorer needs to connect to whatever execution client is running the revived chain

[bobsummerwill-openclaw-bot]

Update: fork is now ready for implementation work.

• New fork created: https://github.com/bobsummerwill/expedition
• Local repo remotes wired in standard fork layout:
  • origin -> https://github.com/bobsummerwill/expedition.git
  • upstream -> https://github.com/xops/expedition.git
• Fetch from both remotes succeeded.

Next step (when approved): start Homestead compatibility iteration in the fork and open PR(s) with focused patches.