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

# Overview

> Introduction to the Python SDK for building Hive blockchain applications

The WAX Python SDK provides a comprehensive toolkit for building Hive blockchain applications in Python. It wraps the core C++ Hive protocol implementation with a high-level, Pythonic API.

## Key features

The Python SDK offers two main interfaces:

* **Offline operations** via `create_wax_foundation()` - Transaction building, signing, and validation without network access
* **Online operations** via `create_hive_chain()` - Full blockchain interaction including API calls and broadcasting

## Core capabilities

### Transaction management

Build, sign, validate, and broadcast transactions with full type safety:

```python theme={null}
from wax import create_hive_chain
from wax.proto.operations import transfer

wax = create_hive_chain()
tx = await wax.create_transaction()
tx.push_operation(
    transfer(
        from_account="alice",
        to_account="bob",
        amount=wax.hive.satoshis(1000),
        memo="Payment"
    )
)
```

### Asset handling

Work with HIVE, HBD, and VESTS using intuitive asset factories:

```python theme={null}
# Create assets
hive_amount = wax.hive.satoshis(1000)  # 0.001 HIVE
hbd_amount = wax.hbd.pretty("5.000 HBD")
vests_amount = wax.vests.nai({"amount": "1000000", "precision": 6, "nai": "@@000000037"})

# Convert between asset types
hp = wax.vests_to_hp(
    vests=account_vests,
    total_vesting_fund_hive=dgpo.total_vesting_fund_hive,
    total_vesting_shares=dgpo.total_vesting_shares
)
```

### API integration

Access Hive blockchain APIs with full async support:

```python theme={null}
# Query blockchain data
accounts = await wax.api.database_api.find_accounts(
    accounts=["alice", "bob"]
)

# Get dynamic global properties
dgpo = await wax.api.database_api.get_dynamic_global_properties()

# Query resource credits
rc_accounts = await wax.api.rc_api.find_rc_accounts(
    accounts=["alice"]
)
```

### Wallet integration

Seamless integration with Beekeeper wallet for secure key management:

```python theme={null}
from beekeepy import AsyncBeekeeper

async with await AsyncBeekeeper.factory() as beekeeper:
    session = await beekeeper.create_session(salt="")
    wallet = await session.create_wallet(name="my_wallet", password="password")
    await tx.sign(wallet=wallet, public_key="STM...")
```

## Installation

Install the SDK via pip:

```bash theme={null}
pip install hiveio-wax
```

See the [installation guide](/python/installation) for detailed setup instructions.

## Getting started

Choose your approach based on your needs:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Offline operations" icon="plug" href="/python/wax-foundation">
    Build and sign transactions without network access
  </Card>

  <Card title="Online operations" icon="globe" href="/python/hive-chain">
    Full blockchain interaction with API calls
  </Card>

  <Card title="Transactions" icon="file-lines" href="/python/transactions">
    Learn transaction building and management
  </Card>

  <Card title="API calls" icon="server" href="/python/api-calls">
    Query blockchain data and state
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Architecture

The Python SDK uses Cython bindings to wrap the high-performance C++ Hive protocol implementation. This provides:

* **Native performance** - Transaction signing and validation at C++ speeds
* **Type safety** - Full type hints and Protocol Buffer message validation
* **Protocol compliance** - Direct use of Hive's canonical protocol implementation

## Package structure

```python theme={null}
from wax import (
    create_wax_foundation,  # Offline operations factory
    create_hive_chain,      # Online operations factory
    WaxOptions,             # Configuration for offline mode
    WaxChainOptions,        # Configuration for online mode
)

from wax.proto.operations import (  # Protocol Buffer operations
    transfer,
    vote,
    comment,
    # ... all Hive operations
)

from wax.complex_operations import (  # High-level operation builders
    AccountAuthorityUpdateOperation,
    RecurrentTransferOperation,
)
```

## Next steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install the SDK">
    Follow the [installation guide](/python/installation) to set up your environment
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose your interface">
    Use [create\_wax\_foundation](/python/wax-foundation) for offline operations or [create\_hive\_chain](/python/hive-chain) for full blockchain access
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build transactions">
    Learn [transaction management](/python/transactions) to create and sign operations
  </Step>

  <Step title="Explore examples">
    Check out [complete examples](/python/examples) for common use cases
  </Step>
</Steps>