Building on Sui: How to Use RPC Endpoints for High Performance Dapps
Written by
Ted Bloquet
March 24, 2026
4
min. read
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Table of Contents
Sui has emerged as one of the most innovative Layer 1 blockchains for developers who need high throughput and low latency. By moving away from the traditional account based model used by most networks and adopting an object centric approach powered by the Move programming language, Sui allows for parallel transaction execution. This architectural shift means the network can handle massive traffic without the congestion issues that often plague legacy chains.
While the underlying technology is designed for speed, the way your application interacts with the network is just as critical. To read data, submit transactions, and track the state of objects, you need a reliable connection to the blockchain. This is where RPC infrastructure comes in. However, simply connecting to a single node is often not enough for production ready applications that require constant uptime and global reach.
In this guide, we will explore how to build on Sui using robust RPC infrastructure, how the Tatum RPC Router improves reliability, and how to effectively use Sui RPC endpoints to power your dApp.
Understanding Sui RPC Infrastructure
RPC stands for Remote Procedure Call. In the world of Sui development, RPC endpoints are the gateway through which your application communicates with the nodes that maintain the ledger. Whether you are building a wallet, a decentralized exchange, or an on chain game, your frontend and backend will constantly send requests to these endpoints.
On Sui, these requests are slightly different than on other chains because of the object centric model. Instead of just checking an account balance, you are often querying the specific state of an object ID, looking up a package, or requesting the latest checkpoint. The node receives these requests, processes them against the current state of the network, and returns the data your application needs to function.
While it is possible to run your own Sui node, the operational cost and complexity are high. Nodes must stay perfectly synchronized with the network, which is demanding given Sui high transaction speeds. If a node falls behind or goes offline, your application stops working. This is why most developers rely on managed infrastructure that provides a stable entry point to the network.
Test a Simple Call on Sui
This widget lets you instantly query the latest block height (or equivalent) for Sui using a chain-specific RPC method like eth_blockNumber, getblockcount, or getBlockHeight. Useful for connectivity checks, uptime monitoring, or API testing.
Accessing Sui via JSON RPC
Tatum provides developers with direct access to Sui through standard JSON RPC methods. This allows you to perform all the essential operations needed to build a fully functional dApp. Through these endpoints, you can interact with the Move VM, query object data, and manage transactions across different environments.
By using a unified gateway URL, you can switch between different network environments like Mainnet and Testnet by simply changing your API key or endpoint path, keeping your application logic clean and consistent.
Available Sui interfaces
How to Scale Your Application with a Sui RPC Gateway
A Sui RPC Gateway, also known as the Tatum RPC Router, functions as a middleware layer that sits between your application and a pool of blockchain nodes. Instead of hardcoding a connection to one specific node, your application sends its requests to the gateway. The gateway then intelligently routes those requests to the most suitable and healthy node available within the pool.
This setup does not replace the nodes themselves but instead acts as a traffic controller for blockchain communication. It monitors the health and synchronization of various nodes in real time to ensure that your requests are always handled by infrastructure that is fully up to date. This architecture is essential for scaling because it prevents a single point of failure from taking down your entire application.
Developers can easily create and manage these gateways through the Tatum Dashboard or via the Gateway API. This provides a single, stable URL for all your Sui interactions, making it much easier to manage environment variables across your development, staging, and production setups.
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How to Ensure High Availability with RPC Routing
When you connect an application directly to a single RPC node, you are entirely dependent on that node performance. If that node experiences latency or fails to keep up with the latest checkpoints, your users will experience errors or see outdated information. On a fast chain like Sui, being even a few seconds behind can result in failed transactions because the network expects the most recent object versions for any state change.
An RPC Gateway solves this by managing a pool of nodes behind the scenes. If one node becomes unavailable or starts to lag, the gateway automatically reroutes your traffic to a healthy node without any manual intervention required on your part. This ensures that your application remains responsive and accurate even during periods of high network activity or infrastructure maintenance.
To further optimize performance, you can use PowerUps. These are modular add ons designed to enhance your infrastructure. For instance, the RPC Accelerator can boost response times, while Intelligent Data Routing ensures maximum reliability by selecting nodes based on real time performance metrics. Additionally, the Bring Your Own RPC feature allows you to integrate your own self hosted Sui nodes into the gateway. This gives you the flexibility to define a custom routing strategy that combines your own resources with Tatum's global infrastructure for maximum redundancy.
Building Scalable Applications on Sui
Building on Sui offers incredible potential because of its unique object centric approach and high performance Move language. However, capturing that speed requires infrastructure that can keep up with the network complexity. By using a reliable RPC Gateway, you eliminate the operational overhead of managing nodes and ensuring constant uptime, allowing you to focus entirely on your smart contracts and user experience.
Whether you are scaling a DeFi protocol or launching a Web3 game, a robust RPC setup is the foundation of any production ready application. By offloading the challenges of node health and traffic routing, you ensure that your dApp remains responsive even as transaction volumes climb.
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