---
description: Technical details about most used ocean.py functions
---

# Ocean Instance Tech Details

At the beginning of most flows, we create an `ocean` object, which is an instance of class [`Ocean`](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py). It exposes useful information, including the following:

* properties for config & OCEAN
* contract objects retrieval
* users' orders
* provider fees

### Constructor

* **\_\_init\_\_**(`self`, `config_dict: Dict`, `data_provider: Optional[Type] = None`)

The Ocean class is the entry point into Ocean Procol.

In order to initialize a Ocean object, you must provide `config_dict` which is a `Dictionary` instance and optionally a `DataServiceProvider` instance.

**Parameters**

* `config_dict`: `dict` which is mandatory and it contains the configuration as dictionary format.
* `data_provider`: `Optional[DataProvider]` which is optional with a default value of None. If it is not provided, the constructor will instantiate a new one from scratch.

**Returns**

`None`

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#L43)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```python
class Ocean:
    """The Ocean class is the entry point into Ocean Protocol."""

    @enforce_types
    def __init__(self, config_dict: Dict, data_provider: Optional[Type] = None) -> None:
        """Initialize Ocean class.

        Usage: Make a new Ocean instance

        `ocean = Ocean({...})`

        This class provides the main top-level functions in ocean protocol:
        1. Publish assets metadata and associated services
            - Each asset is assigned a unique DID and a DID Document (DDO)
            - The DDO contains the asset's services including the metadata
            - The DID is registered on-chain with a URL of the metadata store
              to retrieve the DDO from

            `ddo = ocean.assets.create(metadata, publisher_wallet)`

        2. Discover/Search ddos via the current configured metadata store (Aquarius)

            - Usage:
            `ddos_list = ocean.assets.search('search text')`

        An instance of Ocean is parameterized by a `Config` instance.

        :param config_dict: variable definitions
        :param data_provider: `DataServiceProvider` instance
        """
        config_errors = {}
        for key, value in config_defaults.items():
            if key not in config_dict:
                config_errors[key] = "required"
                continue

            if not isinstance(config_dict[key], type(value)):
                config_errors[key] = f"must be {type(value).__name__}"

        if config_errors:
            raise Exception(json.dumps(config_errors))

        self.config_dict = config_dict

        network_name = config_dict["NETWORK_NAME"]
        check_network(network_name)

        if not data_provider:
            data_provider = DataServiceProvider

        self.assets = OceanAssets(self.config_dict, data_provider)
        self.compute = OceanCompute(self.config_dict, data_provider)

        logger.debug("Ocean instance initialized: ")
```
{% endcode %}

</details>

### Config Getter

* **config**(`self`) -> `dict`

It is a helper method for retrieving the user's configuration for ocean.py.\
It can be called only by Ocean object and returns a python dictionary.

**Returns**

`dict`

Configuration fields as dictionary.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL265C1-L268C32)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

```python
@property
    @enforce_types
    def config(self) -> dict:  # alias for config_dict
        return self.config_dict
```

</details>

### OCEAN Address

* **ocean_address**(`self`) -> `str`

It is a helper method for retrieving the OCEAN's token address.\
It can be called only by Ocean object and returns the address as a `string`.

**Returns**

`str`

OCEAN address for that network.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL100C1-L103C52)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

```python
 @property
    @enforce_types
    def OCEAN_address(self) -> str:
        return get_ocean_token_address(self.config)
```

[`get_ocean_token_address`](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/util.py#LL31C1-L38C89) function is an utilitary function which gets the address from `address.json` file

{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```python
@enforce_types
def get_ocean_token_address(config_dict: dict) -> str:
    """Returns the OCEAN address for given network or web3 instance
    Requires either network name or web3 instance.
    """
    addresses = get_contracts_addresses(config_dict)

    return Web3.toChecksumAddress(addresses.get("Ocean").lower()) if addresses else None
```
{% endcode %}

</details>

### OCEAN Token Object

* **ocean_token**(`self`) -> `DatatokenBase`
* **OCEAN**(`self`) -> `DatatokenBase` as alias for the above option

It is a helper method for retrieving the OCEAN token object (Datatoken class).\
It can be called within Ocean class and returns the OCEAN Datatoken.

**Returns**

`DatatokenBase`

OCEAN token as `DatatokenBase` object.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL105C1-L113C32)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

```python
    @property
    @enforce_types
    def OCEAN_token(self) -> DatatokenBase:
        return DatatokenBase.get_typed(self.config, self.OCEAN_address)

    @property
    @enforce_types
    def OCEAN(self):  # alias for OCEAN_token
        return self.OCEAN_token
```

</details>

### Data NFT Factory

* **data\_nft\_factory**(`self`) -> `DataNFTFactoryContract`

It is a property for getting `Data NFT Factory` object for the singleton smart contract.\
It can be called within Ocean class and returns the `DataNFTFactoryContract` instance.

**Returns**

`DataNFTFactoryContract`

Data NFT Factory contract object which access all the functionalities available from smart contracts in Python.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL117C1-L120C80)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```python
@property
    @enforce_types
    def data_nft_factory(self) -> DataNFTFactoryContract:
        return DataNFTFactoryContract(self.config, self._addr("ERC721Factory"))
```
{% endcode %}

</details>

### Dispenser

* **dispenser**(`self`) -> `Dispenser`

`Dispenser` is represented by a faucet for free data.\
It is a property for getting `Dispenser` object for the singleton smart contract.\
It can be called within Ocean class and returns the `Dispenser` instance.

**Returns**

`Dispenser`

Dispenser contract object which access all the functionalities available from smart contracts in Python.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL122C1-L125C63)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

```python
    @property
    @enforce_types
    def dispenser(self) -> Dispenser:
        return Dispenser(self.config, self._addr("Dispenser"))
```

</details>

### Fixed Rate Exchange

* **fixed\_rate\_exchange**(`self`) -> `FixedRateExchange`

Exchange is used for priced data.\
It is a property for getting `FixedRateExchange` object for the singleton smart contract.\
It can be called within Ocean class and returns the `FixedRateExchange` instance.

**Returns**

`FixedRateExchange`

Fixed Rate Exchange contract object which access all the functionalities available from smart contracts in Python.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL127C1-L130C72)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

```python
 @property
    @enforce_types
    def fixed_rate_exchange(self) -> FixedRateExchange:
        return FixedRateExchange(self.config, self._addr("FixedPrice"))
```

</details>

### NFT Token Getter

* **get\_nft\_token**(`self`, `token_adress: str`) -> `DataNFT`

It is a getter for a specific data NFT object based on its checksumed address.\
It can be called within Ocean class which returns the `DataNFT` instance based on string `token_address` specified as parameter.

**Parameters**

* `token_address` - string checksumed address of the NFT token that you are searching for.

**Returns**

`DataNFT`

Data NFT object which access all the functionalities available for ERC721 template in Python.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL139C5-L145C51)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

```python
    @enforce_types
    def get_nft_token(self, token_address: str) -> DataNFT:
        """
        :param token_address: Token contract address, str
        :return: `DataNFT` instance
        """
        return DataNFT(self.config, token_address)
```

</details>

### Datatoken Getter

* **get\_datatoken**(`self`, `token_address: str`) -> `DatatokenBase`

It is a getter for a specific `datatoken` object based on its checksumed address.\
It can be called within Ocean class with a string `token_address` as parameter which returns the `DatatokenBase` instance depending on datatoken's template index.

**Parameters**

* `token_address` - string checksumed address of the datatoken that you are searching for.

**Returns**

`DatatokenBase`

Datatoken object which access all the functionalities available for ERC20 templates in Python.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL147C5-L153C67)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

```python
@enforce_types
    def get_datatoken(self, token_address: str) -> DatatokenBase:
        """
        :param token_address: Token contract address, str
        :return: `Datatoken1` or `Datatoken2` instance
        """
        return DatatokenBase.get_typed(self.config, token_address)

```

</details>

### User Orders Getter

* **get\_user\_orders**(`self`, `address: str`, `datatoken: str`) -> `List[AttributeDict]`

Returns the list of orders that were made by a certain user on a specific datatoken.

It can be called within Ocean class.

**Parameters**

* `address` - wallet address of that user
* `datatoken` - datatoken address

**Returns**

`List[AttributeDict]`

List of all the orders on that `datatoken` done by the specified `user`.

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL157C5-L173C23)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```python
    @enforce_types
    def get_user_orders(self, address: str, datatoken: str) -> List[AttributeDict]:
        """
        :return: List of orders `[Order]`
        """
        dt = DatatokenBase.get_typed(self.config_dict, datatoken)
        _orders = []
        for log in dt.get_start_order_logs(address):
            a = dict(log.args.items())
            a["amount"] = int(log.args.amount)
            a["address"] = log.address
            a["transactionHash"] = log.transactionHash
            a = AttributeDict(a.items())

            _orders.append(a)

        return _orders
```
{% endcode %}



</details>

### Provider Fees

* **retrieve\_provider\_fees**( `self`, `ddo: DDO`, `access_service: Service`, `publisher_wallet` ) -> `dict`

Calls Provider to compute provider fees as dictionary for access service.

**Parameters**

* `ddo` - the data asset which has the DDO object
* `access_service` - Service instance for the service that needs the provider fees
* `publisher_wallet` - Wallet instance of the user that wants to retrieve the provider fees

**Returns**

`dict`

A dictionary which contains the following keys (`providerFeeAddress`, `providerFeeToken`, `providerFeeAmount`, `providerData`, `v`, `r`, `s`, `validUntil`).

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL177C4-L189C1)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```python
 @enforce_types
    def retrieve_provider_fees(
        self, ddo: DDO, access_service: Service, publisher_wallet
    ) -> dict:

        initialize_response = DataServiceProvider.initialize(
            ddo.did, access_service, consumer_address=publisher_wallet.address
        )
        initialize_data = initialize_response.json()
        provider_fees = initialize_data["providerFee"]

        return provider_fees
```
{% endcode %}

</details>

### Compute Provider Fees

* **retrieve\_provider\_fees\_for\_compute**(`self`, `datasets: List[ComputeInput]`, `algorithm_data: Union[ComputeInput, AlgorithmMetadata]`, `consumer_address: str`, `compute_environment: str`, `valid_until: int`) -> `dict`

Calls Provider to generate provider fees as dictionary for compute service.

**Parameters**

* `datasets` - list of `ComputeInput` which contains the data assets
* `algorithm_data` - necessary data for algorithm and it can be either a `ComputeInput` object, either just the algorithm metadata, `AlgorithmMetadata`
* `consumer_address` - address of the compute consumer wallet which is requesting the provider fees
* `compute_environment` - id provided from the compute environment as `string`
* `valid_until` - timestamp in UNIX miliseconds for the duration of provider fees for the compute service.

**Returns**

`dict`

A dictionary which contains the following keys (`providerFeeAddress`, `providerFeeToken`, `providerFeeAmount`, `providerData`, `v`, `r`, `s`, `validUntil`).

**Defined in**

[ocean/ocean.py](https://github.com/oceanprotocol/ocean.py/blob/main/ocean_lib/ocean/ocean.py#LL190C4-L210C1)

<details>

<summary>Source code</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```python
@enforce_types
    def retrieve_provider_fees_for_compute(
        self,
        datasets: List[ComputeInput],
        algorithm_data: Union[ComputeInput, AlgorithmMetadata],
        consumer_address: str,
        compute_environment: str,
        valid_until: int,
    ) -> dict:

        initialize_compute_response = DataServiceProvider.initialize_compute(
            [x.as_dictionary() for x in datasets],
            algorithm_data.as_dictionary(),
            datasets[0].service.service_endpoint,
            consumer_address,
            compute_environment,
            valid_until,
        )

        return initialize_compute_response.json()
```
{% endcode %}

</details>