I like the idea of having a standard for this, that all explorers (and even core, eventually) would understand.

I would recommend 2 changes though. First, using a real URI scheme, blockchain:// so that we can just use normal URL parsing libraries. The bitcoin: thing leads to additional code to mutate it into a proper URI before passing it to URL parsing. And I think it would be fine to include the type looking up. For example:

blockchain://blockhash/00000000000000001003e880d500968d51157f210c632e08a652af3576600198

blockchain://txid/3b95a766d7a99b87188d6875c8484cb2b310b78459b7816d4dfc3f0f7e04281a

blockchain://block/189000

blockchain://address/1RicMooMWxqKczuRCa5D2dnJaUEn9ZJyn

I think this would help the URI be more human understandable as well as give the explorers the ability to optimize a bit what they are looking for when hitting various databases.

The BIP should also specify little endian searching. I'm not sure, but would it also make sense for this BIP to include what the return results should look like? Maybe another, related BIP.

RicMoo

Hi!

My first post here, hope I'm following the right conventions.

I had this humble idea for a while, so I thought to go ahead and propose

it.

BIP: XX

Title: URI scheme for Blockchain exploration

Author: Marco Pontello

Status: Draft

Type: Standards Track

Created: 29 August 2015

Abstract

========

This BIP propose a simple URI scheme for looking up blocks, transactions,

addresses on a Blockchain explorer.

Motivation

==========

The purpose of this URI scheme is to enable users to handle all the

requests for details about blocks, transactions, etc. with their preferred

tool (being that a web service or a local application).

Currently a Bitcoin client usually point to an arbitrary blockchain

explorer when the user look for the details of a transaction (es. Bitcoin

Wallet use BitEasy, Mycelium or Electrum use Blockchain.info, etc.).

Other times resorting to cut&paste is needed.

The same happens with posts and messages that reference some particular

txs or blocks, if they provide links at all.

Specification

=============

The URI follow this simple form:

blockchain: <hash/string>  

Examples:

blockchain:00000000000000001003e880d500968d51157f210c632e08a652af3576600198

blockchain:001949

blockchain:3b95a766d7a99b87188d6875c8484cb2b310b78459b7816d4dfc3f0f7e04281a

Rationale

=========

I thought about using some more complex scheme, or adding qualifiers to

distinguish blocks from txs, but in the end I think that keeping it simple

should be practical enough. Blockchain explorers can apply the same

disambiguation rules they are already using to process the usual search

box. 

From the point of view of a wallet developer (or other tool that need to

show any kind of Blockchain references), using this scheme mean that he

can simply make it a blockchain: link and be done with it, without having

to worry about any specific Blockchain explorer or provide a means for the

user to select one.

Blockchain explorers in turn will simply offer to handle the blockchain:

URI, the first time the user visit their website, or launch/install the

application, or even set themselves if there isn't already one.

Users get the convenience of using always their preferred explorer, which

can be especially handy on mobile devices, where juggling with cut&paste

is far from ideal.

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