Preturnio, a full-text search engine for the Bitcoin blockchain, has been introduced, allowing users to scan for Bitcoin transactions that include readable text.
Preturnio is a platform that allows for the search of plain text within any coinbase transaction, text-based ordinal inscription or OP_RETURN script since the genesis block. All data in the Bitcoin blockchain is stored natively in hexadecimal format, and Preturnio offers search results that are converted to a readable format. OP_RETURN is a unique opcode in the Bitcoin scripting language that enables data to be embedded in a transaction output without the need to spend any bitcoin.
This was added to the Bitcoin protocol in 2014, primarily to allow for the creation of simple, low-cost and secure timestamping services. OP_RETURN has been useful in various applications, including digital signatures, notarization and proof of ownership. The recently launched Ordinals project has created a significant debate on the topic of immutable data time stamped onto Bitcoin.
“Regardless of where you stand on this issue,” the docs page of the website states, “the fact remains that there is a ton of plain text buried in the Bitcoin blockchain so Preturnio was created to make searching for this text easier and more enjoyable.”
Preturnio searches in three areas where plain text can be found quickly: inside a coinbase transaction, inside an OP_RETURN script, and inside a text or HTML based ordinal inscription. Preturnio searches every block mined since the genesis block to locate a match inside a transaction for the text/pattern the user is looking for. The website offers various search options, with the interface designed to be as user-friendly as possible, according to the docs page. Users simply enter the text they are looking for and click the search icon or press ENTER. They can search for a single word, a phrase or just about any set of characters.
The Preturnio docs include search examples. The platform offers different types of searches, including searching for a single word or a phrase. Preturnio will return results for any transaction that contains that phrase or part of it. To match on an exact phrase, enclose the query in double quotes (“”). The website only does a literal search when enclosed in these quotes. “This is important to remember,” the website adds. “For search phrases with more than one word, Preturnio will only return for transactions with all words in the phrase - if a transaction contains one of the phrase words but not all, it won't be included in the search results.”
Preturnio aims to offer simple and effective search features that will make finding the right information embedded into Bitcoin faster and more convenient.