Ethereum NFT basics

Contracts, token IDs, metadata, gas and approvals — the pieces behind every ETH NFT.

This guide is an outline. A long-form version with diagrams is in progress.

1. 01

   Know the contract

   Every collection is a smart contract with an address. That address is the real identity — not the name or logo.

2. 02

   Find where the art lives

   Metadata may point to IPFS, Arweave, a company server, or the chain itself. Each has different permanence.

3. 03

   Understand gas

   Network fees change with demand. A transaction can fail and still cost gas.

4. 04

   Respect approvals

   "setApprovalForAll" lets an operator move every item in a collection. Grant it only to contracts you have verified.

5. 05

   Keep a clean wallet setup

   Many collectors use a separate wallet for browsing new sites and keep valuable items elsewhere.