> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://align.tolbel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Read Contract

> Call read-only (view) functions on smart contracts

## Method Signature

```typescript theme={null}
align.blockchain.contracts.read(
  params: ContractCall
): Promise<unknown>
```

## Parameters

<ParamField body="contractAddress" type="string" required>
  Contract address to call
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="abi" type="array" required>
  Contract ABI (only needs the function you're calling)
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="method" type="string" required>
  Function name to call
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="args" type="array">
  Function arguments (if any)
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="network" type="string" required>
  Network: `ethereum`, `polygon`, `base`, `arbitrum`
</ParamField>

## Examples

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="TypeScript">
    ```typescript theme={null}
    import Align from "@tolbel/align";

    const align = new Align({
      apiKey: process.env.ALIGN_API_KEY!,
      environment: "sandbox",
    });

    // ERC-20 balanceOf example
    const ERC20_ABI = [
      "function balanceOf(address) view returns (uint256)",
      "function decimals() view returns (uint8)",
      "function symbol() view returns (string)",
    ];

    const balance = await align.blockchain.contracts.read({
      contractAddress: "0x2791Bca1f2de4661ED88A30C99A7a9449Aa84174", // USDC
      abi: ERC20_ABI,
      method: "balanceOf",
      args: ["0xWalletAddress..."],
      network: "polygon",
    });

    console.log(`Balance: ${balance.toString()}`);
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="JavaScript">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    const balance = await align.blockchain.contracts.read({
      contractAddress: USDC_ADDRESS,
      abi: ERC20_ABI,
      method: "balanceOf",
      args: [walletAddress],
      network: "polygon",
    });
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Read Multiple Values

```typescript theme={null}
const [symbol, decimals, balance] = await Promise.all([
  align.blockchain.contracts.read({
    contractAddress: tokenAddress,
    abi: ERC20_ABI,
    method: "symbol",
    args: [],
    network: "polygon",
  }),
  align.blockchain.contracts.read({
    contractAddress: tokenAddress,
    abi: ERC20_ABI,
    method: "decimals",
    args: [],
    network: "polygon",
  }),
  align.blockchain.contracts.read({
    contractAddress: tokenAddress,
    abi: ERC20_ABI,
    method: "balanceOf",
    args: [walletAddress],
    network: "polygon",
  }),
]);

console.log(`${symbol}: ${formatUnits(balance, decimals)}`);
```

<Info>Read operations are free - they don't require gas or signing.</Info>

## Related Methods

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Write Contract" icon="pen" href="/docs/api/blockchain/contracts/write">
    Call state-changing methods
  </Card>

  <Card title="Get Events" icon="list" href="/docs/api/blockchain/contracts/get-events">
    Query contract events
  </Card>
</CardGroup>