> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.stacks.co/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.stacks.co/reference/api/stacks-blockchain-api/requesting-proofs.md).

# Requesting Proofs

Understand proof requests from API endpoints.

Several endpoints return the [MARF Merkle Proof](https://github.com/stacksgov/sips/blob/main/sips/sip-004/sip-004-materialized-view.md#marf-merkle-proofs) by default.

Provided with the proof, a client can verify the value, cumulative energy spent, and the number of confirmations for the response value provided by the API.

Requesting the proof requires more resources (computation time, response time, and response body size). To avoid the additional resources, in case verification is not required, API endpoints allow setting the request parameter: `proof=0`. The returned response object will not have any proof fields.


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