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# Read Contracts

## Overview

[`contract.read`](/docs/actions/public/contract/read) calls a `view` or `pure` function without
sending a transaction. The ABI determines valid function names, positional argument tuples, and the
decoded return type.

## Recipes

These recipes assume you have [set up a Client](/docs) with [`publicActions`](/docs/actions/public).

### Read a Contract Function

Pass a literal ABI to preserve function and return-value inference.

:::code-group
```ts twoslash [example.ts]
import { Abis } from 'viem/utils'
import { client } from './viem.config'

const balance = await client.contract.read({ // [!code focus]
  abi: Abis.erc20, // [!code focus]
  address: '0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48', // [!code focus]
  args: ['0xA0Cf798816D4b9b9866b5330EEa46a18382f251e'], // [!code focus]
  functionName: 'balanceOf', // [!code focus]
}) // [!code focus]

console.log(balance)
//          ^?
// @log: 424122n
```

```ts twoslash [viem.config.ts] filename="viem.config.ts"
// [!include ~/snippets/docs/public.config.ts:setup]
```
:::

### Read Historical State

Pass `blockNumber`, `blockHash`, or `blockTag` to select the state used by the call.

:::code-group
```ts twoslash [example.ts]
import { Abis } from 'viem/utils'
import { client } from './viem.config'

const supply = await client.contract.read({
  abi: Abis.erc20,
  address: '0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48',
  blockNumber: 20_000_000n, // [!code focus]
  functionName: 'totalSupply',
})
```

```ts twoslash [viem.config.ts] filename="viem.config.ts"
// [!include ~/snippets/docs/public.config.ts:setup]
```
:::

### Read a Contract's EIP-712 Domain

[`contract.getEip712Domain`](/docs/actions/public/contract/getEip712Domain) reads the domain a
contract exposes through ERC-5267 before an application constructs typed data for it.

:::code-group
```ts twoslash [example.ts]
import { client } from './viem.config'

const { domain, extensions, fields } =
  await client.contract.getEip712Domain({ // [!code focus]
    address: '0x57ba3ec8df619d4d243ce439551cce713bb17411', // [!code focus]
  }) // [!code focus]
```

```ts twoslash [viem.config.ts] filename="viem.config.ts"
// [!include ~/snippets/docs/public.config.ts:setup]
```
:::

## Best Practices

### Preserve ABI Literals

Import a generated ABI or construct one with [`Abi.from`](/docs/utilities/abi/from). Avoid widening
it to a generic `Abi`, which removes function-specific inference.

### Pin a Block for Consistent Reads

Related reads can observe different state when a block arrives between requests. Use the same block
number or a multicall when the values must share one state snapshot.

## See More

<Cards>
  <Card icon="lucide:list-tree" title="Batch Contract Reads" description="Read several functions against one block in a multicall." to="/docs/guides/contracts/batch-reads" />

  <Card icon="lucide:box" title="Contract Instances" description="Bind the ABI and address for repeated reads." to="/docs/guides/contracts/instances" />
</Cards>