Dune Analytics API
A skill for querying and analyzing blockchain data via the Dune Analytics API.
Setup
pip install dune-client
Set DUNE_API_KEY via environment variable, .env file, or agent config.
Best Practices
-
Read references first — The reference files contain critical table names, anti-patterns, and chain-specific gotchas that aren't obvious from table names alone. Reading the right reference before writing SQL prevents common mistakes like using
dex.tradesfor wallet analysis (which inflates volume ~30%) or missing Solana's dedup requirement. -
Prefer private queries — Creating queries with
is_private=Truekeeps the user's workspace clean and avoids polluting the public Dune namespace. Fall back to public if it fails (free plan limitation), and let the user know. -
Reuse before creating — Dune charges credits per execution. Reusing or updating an existing query avoids unnecessary duplicates and makes credit tracking easier. Only create new queries when the user explicitly asks.
-
Confirm before updating — Modifying an existing query's SQL is destructive (previous version isn't saved by default). A quick confirmation avoids overwriting work the user might want to keep.
-
Track credits — Each execution costs credits depending on the performance tier and data scanned. Reporting credits consumed helps the user manage their budget. See query-execution.md.
Scripts — Common Operations
For common operations, use the scripts in scripts/ to avoid writing boilerplate code every time. All scripts read DUNE_API_KEY from the environment automatically.
| Script | Command | What it does |
|---|---|---|
dune_query.py | execute --query-id ID | Execute a saved query (supports --params, --performance, --format) |
dune_query.py | get_latest --query-id ID | Get cached result without re-execution |
dune_query.py | get_sql --query-id ID | Print query SQL |
dune_query.py | update_sql --query-id ID --sql "..." | Update query SQL |
dune_discover.py | search --keyword "uniswap" | Search tables by keyword |
dune_discover.py | schema --table "dex.trades" | Show table columns and types |
dune_discover.py | list_schemas --namespace "uniswap_v3" | List tables in a namespace |
dune_discover.py | contract --address "0x..." | Find decoded tables by contract address |
dune_discover.py | docs --keyword "dex" | Search Dune documentation |
dune_upload.py | upload_csv --file data.csv --table-name tbl | Quick CSV upload (overwrites) |
dune_upload.py | create_table --table-name tbl --namespace ns --schema '[...]' | Create table with explicit schema |
dune_upload.py | insert --file data.csv --table-name tbl --namespace ns | Append data to existing table |
Example:
# Execute query with parameters
python scripts/dune_query.py execute --query-id 123456 --params '{"token":"ETH"}' --format table
# Upload a CSV privately
python scripts/dune_upload.py upload_csv --file wallets.csv --table-name my_wallets --private
Reference Selection
Before writing any SQL, route to the correct reference file(s) based on your task:
| Task involves... | Read this reference |
|---|---|
| Finding tables / inspecting schema / discovering protocols | table-discovery.md |
| Finding decoded tables by contract address | table-discovery.md |
| Searching Dune documentation / guides / examples | table-discovery.md |
| Wallet / address tracking / router identification | wallet-analysis.md |
| Table selection / common table names | common-tables.md |
| SQL performance / complex joins / array ops | sql-optimization.md |
| API calls / execution / caching / parameters | query-execution.md |
| Uploading CSV/NDJSON data to Dune | data-upload.md |
If your task spans multiple categories, read all relevant files. The references contain critical details (e.g., specialized tables, anti-patterns) that aren't covered in this overview — guessing table names or query patterns leads to subtle bugs.
Quick Start
from dune_client.client import DuneClient
from dune_client.query import QueryBase
import os
client = DuneClient(api_key=os.environ['DUNE_API_KEY'])
# Execute a query
result = client.run_query(query=QueryBase(query_id=123456), performance='medium', ping_frequency=5)
print(f"Rows: {len(result.result.rows)}")
# Get cached result (no re-execution)
result = client.get_latest_result(query_id=123456)
# Get/update SQL
sql = client.get_query(123456).sql
client.update_query(query_id=123456, query_sql="SELECT ...")
# Upload CSV data (quick, overwrites existing)
client.upload_csv(
data="col1,col2\nval1,val2",
description="My data",
table_name="my_table",
is_private=True
)
# Create table + insert (supports append)
client.create_table(
namespace="my_user",
table_name="my_table",
schema=[{"name": "col1", "type": "varchar"}, {"name": "col2", "type": "double"}],
is_private=True
)
import io
client.insert_data(
namespace="my_user",
table_name="my_table",
data=io.BytesIO(b"col1,col2\nabc,1.5"),
content_type="text/csv"
)
Subscription Tiers
| Method | Description | Plan |
|---|---|---|
run_query | Execute saved query (supports {{param}}) | Free |
run_sql | Execute SQL directly (no params) | Plus |
Key Concepts
dex.trades vs dex_aggregator.trades
| Table | Use Case | Volume |
|---|---|---|
dex.trades | Per-pool analysis | ⚠️ Inflated ~30% (multi-hop counted multiple times) |
dex_aggregator.trades | User/wallet analysis | Accurate |
Why this matters: If you're analyzing a specific wallet's trading activity and use
dex.trades, you'll see inflated volume because a single swap through an aggregator gets split into multiple pool-level trades.dex_aggregator.tradescaptures the user-level intent — one row per user swap. See wallet-analysis.md for full patterns.
Solana has no dex_aggregator_solana.trades. Dedupe by tx_id:
SELECT tx_id, MAX(amount_usd) as amount_usd
FROM dex_solana.trades
GROUP BY tx_id
Data Freshness
| Layer | Delay | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Raw | < 1 min | ethereum.transactions, solana.transactions |
| Decoded | 15-60 sec | uniswap_v3_ethereum.evt_Swap |
| Curated | ~1 hour+ | dex.trades, dex_solana.trades |
Query previous day's data after UTC 12:00 for completeness.
References
Detailed documentation is organized in the references/ directory:
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| table-discovery.md | Table discovery: search tables by name, inspect schema/columns, list schemas and uploads |
| query-execution.md | API patterns: execute, update, cache, multi-day fetch, credits tracking, subqueries |
| common-tables.md | Quick reference of commonly used tables: raw, decoded, curated, community data |
| sql-optimization.md | SQL optimization: CTE, JOIN strategies, array ops, partition pruning |
| wallet-analysis.md | Wallet tracking: Solana/EVM queries, multi-chain aggregation, fee analysis |
| data-upload.md | Data upload: CSV/NDJSON upload, create table, insert data, manage tables, credits |