Solana Documentation
Solana is a blockchain built for mass adoption. It's a high-performance network that is utilized for a range of use cases, including finance, NFTs, payments, and gaming. Solana operates as a single global state machine and is open, interoperable and decentralized.
Getting started
Dive right into Solana to start building or setting up your local environment.
- Quick Start - Build and deploy your first on-chain Solana program, directly in your browser using Solana Playground
- Setup Local Environment - Install the Solana CLI to get your local development environment setup
Start learning
Build a strong understanding of the core concepts that make Solana different from other blockchains.
- Accounts - Data and state storage mechanism for Solana
- Fees on Solana - Various costs associated with using the network.
- Transactions - Collection of instructions for the blockchain to execute
- Programs - The executable code used to perform actions on the blockchain
- Programs Derived Address - Deterministically generated addresses that allow Solana programs to programmatically "sign" transactions.
- Cross Program Invocation - Core of the "composability" of Solana, this is how programs can "call" each other.
Understanding the architecture
Get to know the underlying architecture of how the proof-of-stake blockchain works.
- Validators - the individual nodes that are the backbone of the network
- Clusters - a collection of validators that work together for consensus
Running a validator
Explore what it takes to operate a Solana validator and help secure the network.
- System Requirements - Recommended hardware requirements and expected SOL needed to operate a validator
- Quick Start - Setup a validator and get connected to a cluster for the first time
Why Solana?
Designed to scale, Solana is purpose-built for blockchain applications to reach millions of users. Instead of worrying about optimizing for the blockchain layer, developers can focus on building their applications to reach product market fit. Not only can it scale now for blockchain application needs, but the network continues to be optimized with user experience in mind.
Building the best user experience in an application is a top priority for developers. With blockchains, the user experience is often limited by the underlying technology, causing slow response times and high fees. Solana's low fees and 400ms confirmation times enable developers to build applications that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone.
Solana Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Onchain Program Development | The ability to develop and deploy programs onchain. Users can interact with these programs permissionlessly, removing the need for middleman servers to build applications. |
| 400ms Slot Times | Every transaction sent by users on Solana is confirmed in a block. With a target slot time of 400ms for each block, interactions by users do not have to wait, providing the best in class user experience of any blockchain. |
| Low Fees | Fees on Solana are well known to be low. With a median fee of 0.00064 SOL per transaction, Solana enables building for users across the world regardless of background. |
| High Throughput | Scaling to thousands of transactions per second, Solana is built to scale with your application's user needs. |
How to Use These Docs
On the left, you will find the docs sidebar. This lists the documentation in order from basic to more advanced information. If you are new to Solana, we recommend starting from the top and working your way down. However, you're welcome to read them in any order that you like.
Once you're ready to start building, check out the Quick Start guide.
Need Help?
Get help from the Solana community on the Solana StackExchange.