<p>Off-chain transactions are transactions on any system that's not the blockchain. Micropayment transactions, lightning network transactions and even coinbase-to-coinbase or changetip would count as off-chain transactions.</p>

<p>There are API's to the <a href="https://www.changetip.com/api" rel="nofollow">various</a> <a href="https://developers.coinbase.com/" rel="nofollow">services</a>. Lightning network is not live yet and micropayment transactions still need settlement on the blockchain.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-16T11:15:46.703Z
LN is fundamentally different than the other examples and one could argue they're not off-chain transactions as eventually one of the many transactions that get made does end up on the chain. LN is more akin a caching layer for on chain transactions. Anyway, historically off-chain had meant trusting a third party, which LN doesn't require.
Jannes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-16T22:00:05.377Z
Neither do micropayment transactions. The term off-chain simply means that the tx is not on-chain. Obviously for both micropayment tx's and LN tx's you have to publish the finished form in the chain, but all the in-between tx's are not published on the chain, hence "off-chain".
Jimmy Song
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-15T22:11:18.323Z
2015-12-15T22:11:18.323Z
Jimmy Song
<p>i wonder how out of block chain transactions work, because till i know it happens but "is not recommended" <em>(it is what i read on the internet)</em>, i want to manage some micro transactions but as it is well known  that the fees of each transaction would eat them up so it would be better out of block chain transactions to deal with them?, is there any API that would help me on this? </p>

<p>Thanks in advanced for your time.</p>

<transactions><blockchain><api>
How out of block chain transactions work, and is there any API for that?
Traveler
# How out of block chain transactions work, and is there any API for that?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-15)

i wonder how out of block chain transactions work, because till i know it happens but "is not recommended" *(it is what i read on the internet)*, i want to manage some micro transactions but as it is well known that the fees of each transaction would eat them up so it would be better out of block chain transactions to deal with them?, is there any API that would help me on this?

Thanks in advanced for your time.

**Tags:** transactions, blockchain, api


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-12-15. Score: 1

Off-chain transactions are transactions on any system that's not the blockchain. Micropayment transactions, lightning network transactions and even coinbase-to-coinbase or changetip would count as off-chain transactions.

There are API's to the [various](https://www.changetip.com/api) [services](https://developers.coinbase.com/). Lightning network is not live yet and micropayment transactions still need settlement on the blockchain.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: LN is fundamentally different than the other examples and one could argue they're not off-chain transactions as eventually one of the many transactions that get made does end up on the chain. LN is more akin a caching layer for on chain transactions. Anyway, historically off-chain had meant trusting a third party, which LN doesn't require.  
> **username_1**: Neither do micropayment transactions. The term off-chain simply means that the tx is not on-chain. Obviously for both micropayment tx's and LN tx's you have to publish the finished form in the chain, but all the in-between tx's are not published on the chain, hence "off-chain".  

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