Create Basic Transaction

Send ADA from one address to another

Introduction

This guide demonstrates how to create a basic transaction to send ADA from one address to another. The basic transaction is the simplest form of Cardano transaction, focused solely on transferring the native currency (ADA/Lovelace) without additional assets or metadata. With the Anvil API, you can easily create, sign, and submit these transactions with minimal configuration.

For more information on transactions, please refer to the Transaction Overview.

Key Features

• Simple ADA transfers between addresses

• Minimal configuration required

• Clean and straightforward API payload

Requirements

• A Cardano wallet with sufficient ADA

• Recipient wallet address

• Valid API key for authentication

Full Examples

Using Next.js and Weld

Next.js & Weld

Using Bash and cURL

Bash & cURL

Using TS/JS Fetch

Deno & Fetch

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Specifications

API Endpoint

POST /transactions/build

Request Structure

{
  "changeAddress": "<sender_address>",
  "utxos": ['8282...', '8282...', '8282...'],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "address": "<receiver_address>",
      "lovelace": <lovelace_amount>
    }
  ]
}

Best Practices

• Always verify the recipient address before submitting transactions

• Remember that 1 ADA = 1,000,000 Lovelace

• Always provide UTXOs in production See Selecting UTXOs for Transactions

• Test transactions on testnet before moving to mainnet

• Consider transaction fees when planning amounts to send

• Keep your API key secure and never expose it in client-side code