> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

# Use Viem

In this tutorial, you'll send a transaction of 0.001 ETH from one account to another using the [Viem](https://viem.sh/)TypeScript library.

## Prerequisites[​](#prerequisites "Direct link to Prerequisites")

- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/)
- [Install TypeScript](https://www.typescriptlang.org/download/)
- [Install ts-node](https://www.npmjs.com/package/ts-node)
- An Ethereum account

info

Use [MetaMask](https://metamask.io/) or similar to create an Ethereum account for testing.

## Steps[​](#steps "Direct link to Steps")

### 1. Select your network and verify funds[​](#1-select-your-network-and-verify-funds "Direct link to 1. Select your network and verify funds")

- **Sepolia** - To use the Sepolia testnet, ensure that your account has Sepolia ETH. You can use the [MetaMask faucet](/developer-tools/faucet/) to add more funds.
- **Alternative network** - To use an alternative network, ensure that your account has testnet ETH for that network.  
note  
When using an alternative network, update the chain name in the script (in Step 6) with the alternative network name from the [Viem supported chains list](https://github.com/wevm/viem/blob/main/src/chains/index.ts).

### 2. Create a project directory[​](#2-create-a-project-directory "Direct link to 2. Create a project directory")

Create a new directory for your project using the command line:

```
mkdir infura

```

Change into the new directory:

```
cd infura

```

### 3. Initialize the project[​](#3-initialize-the-project "Direct link to 3. Initialize the project")

Create a `package.json` file with default values:

```
npm init -y

```

Generate a `tsconfig.json` file, which is used to configure TypeScript compiler options:

```
tsc --init --resolveJsonModule true

```

### 4. Install the required packages[​](#4-install-the-required-packages "Direct link to 4. Install the required packages")

Install the required packages in the project directory.

```
npm i viem

```

```
npm install -D tslib @types/node

```

### 5. Create a `config.ts` file[​](#5-create-aconfigtsfile "Direct link to 5-create-aconfigtsfile")

Create a `config.ts` file in your project directory to store the private key of the sending account:

- Syntax
- Example

config.ts

```
import { privateKeyToAccount } from 'viem/accounts'
export const account = privateKeyToAccount('<PRIVATE-KEY>')

```

config.ts

```
import { privateKeyToAccount } from 'viem/accounts'
export const account = privateKeyToAccount('0x561...x...61df')

```

In the `config.ts` file, replace `<PRIVATE-KEY>` with the [private key of your Ethereum account](https://support.metamask.io/configure/accounts/how-to-export-an-accounts-private-key/). A transaction must be signed with the sender's private key. Make sure that you prefix the private key value with `0x`. The private key you export from MetaMask isn't prefixed with `0x`.

danger

Never disclose your private key. Anyone with your private keys can steal the assets controlled by those keys.

### 6. Create a `sendTransaction.ts` file[​](#6-create-asendtransactiontsfile "Direct link to 6-create-asendtransactiontsfile")

In the project directory, create a `sendTransaction.ts` file, which configures and sends the transaction. For example:

```
import { http, createWalletClient, parseEther } from 'viem'
import { sepolia } from 'viem/chains'
import { account } from './config'

// Create a wallet client to interact with Ethereum accounts.
const walletClient = createWalletClient({
  chain: sepolia,
  transport: http('https://sepolia.infura.io/v3/<YOUR-API-KEY>'),
})

async function sendTx() {
  // Create and send the transaction object.
  const hash = await walletClient.sendTransaction({
    account,
    to: '0xc2CB3fb3924b8DE3A63C1da570a8dBaf2a533eA7',
    value: parseEther('0.001'),
  })

  console.log('Mining transaction... ')
  console.log(`Tx mined in https://sepolia.etherscan.io/tx/${hash}`)
}

sendTx()

```

In the `sendTransaction.ts` file:

- Update the `chain` name if you're using an alternative network.
- Replace `<YOUR-API-KEY>` with your Infura API key.
- Update the `to` account in the code if you wish to send test ETH to an account of your choice.

### 7. Execute the transaction[​](#7-execute-the-transaction "Direct link to 7. Execute the transaction")

To execute the transaction, run:

```
ts-node sendTransaction.ts

```

note

`ts-node` is a TypeScript execution engine for Node.js. It allows you to run TypeScript files without manually compiling them into JavaScript first.

An alternative way to execute your transaction using Node.js is to compile your `sendTransaction.ts` file to JavaScript first, and then run the compiled JavaScript file:

```
tsc sendTransaction.ts
node sendTransaction.js

```

You can also run the TypeScript file, `sendTransaction.ts`, directly from your code development environment (such as VS Code) without using `ts-node` or pre-compiling to JavaScript. The following is an example output:

```
Mining transaction...
Tx mined https://sepolia.etherscan.io/tx/0x310588719e733118f50c0a1608e13b4e8bd5eb5891d546d89795c2041833abb6

```

You can search for the transaction on a block explorer such as [Sepolia Etherscan](https://sepolia.etherscan.io/).

### 8. (Optional) Fine tune the transaction details[​](#8-optional-fine-tune-the-transaction-details "Direct link to 8. (Optional) Fine tune the transaction details")

Viem automatically determines the gas limit and fees. If you want to change the default values, update the `sendTransaction` method to include an `estimateGas` result (`gasLimit`) and the `maxFeePerGas` and `maxPriorityFeePerGas` parameters.

To do this you will also need to declare an `httpClient` to interface with JSON-RPC methods like `eth_estimateGas`.

The following is a full code overview:

```
import { http, createWalletClient, createPublicClient, parseEther, parseGwei } from 'viem'
import { sepolia } from 'viem/chains'
import { account } from './config'

// Create a wallet client to interact with Ethereum accounts.
const walletClient = createWalletClient({
  chain: sepolia,
  transport: http('https://sepolia.infura.io/v3/<YOUR-API-KEY>'),
})

// Create a public client to interact with JSON-RPC API methods.
const httpClient = createPublicClient({
  chain: sepolia,
  transport: http('https://sepolia.infura.io/v3/<YOUR-API-KEY>'),
})

async function sendTx() {
  // Estimate gas limit.
  const limit = await httpClient.estimateGas({
    account,
    to: '0xc2CB3fb3924b8DE3A63C1da570a8dBaf2a533eA7',
    value: parseEther('0.001'),
  })

  // Create and send the transaction object.
  const hash = await walletClient.sendTransaction({
    account,
    to: '0xc2CB3fb3924b8DE3A63C1da570a8dBaf2a533eA7',
    value: parseEther('0.001'),
    maxFeePerGas: parseGwei('20'),
    maxPriorityFeePerGas: parseGwei('2'),
    gas: limit,
  })

  console.log('Mining transaction... ')
  console.log(`Tx: https://sepolia.etherscan.io/tx/${hash}`)
}

sendTx()

```