What is an ERC-721 Token?
Like the ERC-20 token standard, ERC-721 defines a set of standards for which the value of a token is defined and differentiated.
Unlike ERC-20, ERC-721 tokens are non-fungible; each and every ERC-721 token has its own unique value and is to be treated individually.
Think of currency: for example, each ERC-20 token can be compared to a $5 bill where you can exchange one $5 bill with another $5 bill without any difference in value. In the case of ERC-721, think of the example of CryptoKitties. Each kitty is different in value, has individual traits, and is often treated as a collectible.
The standard for ERC-721 is as below:
pragma solidity ^0.4.20;
/// @title ERC-721 Non-Fungible Token Standard
/// @dev See https://github.com/ethereum/EIPs/blob/master/EIPS/eip-721.md
/// Note: the ERC-165 identifier for this interface is 0x80ac58cd
interface ERC721 /* is ERC165 */ {
/// @dev This emits when ownership of any NFT changes by any mechanism.
/// This event emits when NFTs are created (`from` == 0) and destroyed
/// (`to` == 0). Exception: during contract creation, any number of NFTs
/// may be created and assigned without emitting Transfer. At the time of
/// any transfer, the approved address for that NFT (if any) is reset to none.
event Transfer(address indexed _from, address indexed _to, uint256 indexed _tokenId);
/// @dev This emits when the approved address for an NFT is changed or
/// reaffirmed. The zero address indicates there is no approved address.
/// When a Transfer event emits, this also indicates that the approved
/// address for that NFT (if any) is reset to none.
event Approval(address indexed _owner, address indexed _approved, uint256 indexed _tokenId);
/// @dev This emits when an operator is enabled or disabled for an owner.
/// The operator can manage all NFTs of the owner.
event ApprovalForAll(address indexed _owner, address indexed _operator, bool _approved);
/// @notice Count all NFTs assigned to an owner
/// @dev NFTs assigned to the zero address are considered invalid, and this
/// function throws for queries about the zero address.
/// @param _owner An address for whom to query the balance
/// @return The number of NFTs owned by `_owner`, possibly zero
function balanceOf(address _owner) external view returns (uint256);
/// @notice Find the owner of an NFT
/// @dev NFTs assigned to zero address are considered invalid, and queries
/// about them do throw.
/// @param _tokenId The identifier for an NFT
/// @return The address of the owner of the NFT
function ownerOf(uint256 _tokenId) external view returns (address);
/// @notice Transfers the ownership of an NFT from one address to another address
/// @dev Throws unless `msg.sender` is the current owner, an authorized
/// operator, or the approved address for this NFT. Throws if `_from` is
/// not the current owner. Throws if `_to` is the zero address. Throws if
/// `_tokenId` is not a valid NFT. When transfer is complete, this function
/// checks if `_to` is a smart contract (code size > 0). If so, it calls
/// `onERC721Received` on `_to` and throws if the return value is not
/// `bytes4(keccak256("onERC721Received(address,address,uint256,bytes)"))`.
/// @param _from The current owner of the NFT
/// @param _to The new owner
/// @param _tokenId The NFT to transfer
/// @param data Additional data with no specified format, sent in call to `_to`
function safeTransferFrom(address _from, address _to, uint256 _tokenId, bytes data) external payable;
/// @notice Transfers the ownership of an NFT from one address to another address
/// @dev This works identically to the other function with an extra data parameter,
/// except this function just sets data to ""
/// @param _from The current owner of the NFT
/// @param _to The new owner
/// @param _tokenId The NFT to transfer
function safeTransferFrom(address _from, address _to, uint256 _tokenId) external payable;
/// @notice Transfer ownership of an NFT -- THE CALLER IS RESPONSIBLE
/// TO CONFIRM THAT `_to` IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING NFTS OR ELSE
/// THEY MAY BE PERMANENTLY LOST
/// @dev Throws unless `msg.sender` is the current owner, an authorized
/// operator, or the approved address for this NFT. Throws if `_from` is
/// not the current owner. Throws if `_to` is the zero address. Throws if
/// `_tokenId` is not a valid NFT.
/// @param _from The current owner of the NFT
/// @param _to The new owner
/// @param _tokenId The NFT to transfer
function transferFrom(address _from, address _to, uint256 _tokenId) external payable;
/// @notice Set or reaffirm the approved address for an NFT
/// @dev The zero address indicates there is no approved address.
/// @dev Throws unless `msg.sender` is the current NFT owner, or an authorized
/// operator of the current owner.
/// @param _approved The new approved NFT controller
/// @param _tokenId The NFT to approve
function approve(address _approved, uint256 _tokenId) external payable;
/// @notice Enable or disable approval for a third party ("operator") to manage
/// all of `msg.sender`'s assets.
/// @dev Emits the ApprovalForAll event. The contract MUST allow
/// multiple operators per owner.
/// @param _operator Address to add to the set of authorized operators.
/// @param _approved True if the operator is approved, false to revoke approval
function setApprovalForAll(address _operator, bool _approved) external;
/// @notice Get the approved address for a single NFT
/// @dev Throws if `_tokenId` is not a valid NFT
/// @param _tokenId The NFT to find the approved address for
/// @return The approved address for this NFT, or the zero address if there is none
function getApproved(uint256 _tokenId) external view returns (address);
/// @notice Query if an address is an authorized operator for another address
/// @param _owner The address that owns the NFTs
/// @param _operator The address that acts on behalf of the owner
/// @return True if `_operator` is an approved operator for `_owner`, false otherwise
function isApprovedForAll(address _owner, address _operator) external view returns (bool);
}
interface ERC165 {
/// @notice Query if a contract implements an interface
/// @param interfaceID The interface identifier, as specified in ERC-165
/// @dev Interface identification is specified in ERC-165. This function
/// uses less than 30,000 gas.
/// @return `true` if the contract implements `interfaceID` and
/// `interfaceID` is not 0xffffffff, `false` otherwise
function supportsInterface(bytes4 interfaceID) external view returns (bool);
}
interface ERC721TokenReceiver {
/// @notice Handle the receipt of an NFT
/// @dev The ERC721 smart contract calls this function on the
/// recipient after a `transfer`. This function MAY throw to revert and reject the transfer. Return
/// of other than the magic value MUST result in the transaction being reverted.
/// @notice The contract address is always the message sender.
/// @param _operator The address which called `safeTransferFrom` function
/// @param _from The address which previously owned the token
/// @param _tokenId The NFT identifier which is being transferred
/// @param _data Additional data with no specified format
/// @return `bytes4(keccak256("onERC721Received(address,address,uint256,bytes)"))`
/// unless throwing
function onERC721Received(address _operator, address _from, uint256 _tokenId, bytes _data) external returns(bytes4);
}
A list of ERC-721 Tokens is available on Etherscan.
Kaven Choi
Last updated: