Developer Tools

Solana CLI

The official command-line tool for interacting with Solana clusters. Key commands: `solana balance`, `solana transfer`, `solana program deploy`, `solana config set --url`, `solana airdrop` (devnet). Configuration in `~/.config/solana/cli/config.yml` sets the default cluster URL and keypair path.

IDsolana-cliAliassolana-cliAliassolana

Plain meaning

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The official command-line tool for interacting with Solana clusters. Key commands: `solana balance`, `solana transfer`, `solana program deploy`, `solana config set --url`, `solana airdrop` (devnet). Configuration in `~/.config/solana/cli/config.yml` sets the default cluster URL and keypair path.

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Anchor, local validators, explorers, SDKs, and testing workflows.

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Solana CLI (solana-cli)
Category: Developer Tools
Definition: The official command-line tool for interacting with Solana clusters. Key commands: `solana balance`, `solana transfer`, `solana program deploy`, `solana config set --url`, `solana airdrop` (devnet). Configuration in `~/.config/solana/cli/config.yml` sets the default cluster URL and keypair path.
Aliases: solana-cli, solana
Related: solana-keygen, solana-test-validator
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Concept graph

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Branch

solana-keygen

A CLI tool for generating and managing Solana keypairs. `solana-keygen new` creates a keypair file at `~/.config/solana/id.json`. `solana-keygen grind` generates vanity addresses. `solana-keygen pubkey` displays the public key. `solana-keygen verify` confirms a pubkey matches a keypair. Keypairs are stored as 64-byte JSON arrays.

Branch

solana-test-validator

A lightweight local Solana validator for development. Runs a single-node cluster on localhost:8899 (RPC) and localhost:8900 (WebSocket). Supports `--clone` to copy mainnet accounts, `--bpf-program` to load programs, and `--reset` to clear state. Processes transactions instantly without PoH delays. Useful for rapid iteration but doesn't simulate network conditions.

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Developer Tools

solana-keygen

A CLI tool for generating and managing Solana keypairs. `solana-keygen new` creates a keypair file at `~/.config/solana/id.json`. `solana-keygen grind` generates vanity addresses. `solana-keygen pubkey` displays the public key. `solana-keygen verify` confirms a pubkey matches a keypair. Keypairs are stored as 64-byte JSON arrays.

Developer Tools

solana-test-validator

A lightweight local Solana validator for development. Runs a single-node cluster on localhost:8899 (RPC) and localhost:8900 (WebSocket). Supports `--clone` to copy mainnet accounts, `--bpf-program` to load programs, and `--reset` to clear state. Processes transactions instantly without PoH delays. Useful for rapid iteration but doesn't simulate network conditions.

Developer Tools

Solana Explorer

The official Solana Foundation block explorer at explorer.solana.com providing transaction details, account inspection, program views, validator info, and network statistics. Supports mainnet, devnet, testnet, and custom RPC endpoints. The default tool for inspecting on-chain activity.

Developer Tools

Shank

A Rust macro-based tool for generating IDL files from native Solana programs that do not use Anchor. Shank provides attribute macros like #[derive(ShankAccount)] and #[derive(ShankInstruction)] that annotate program code to produce IDL output compatible with Codama/Kinobi for client generation. A key component of the Pinocchio + Shank + Codama workflow.

Commonly confused with

Terms nearby in vocabulary, acronym, or conceptual neighborhood.

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Developer Toolssolana-rust-sdk

Solana Rust SDK (solana-sdk)

The Rust crate (solana-sdk) providing types and utilities for building Solana clients and programs. For on-chain programs, use `solana-program` (no-std compatible subset). For off-chain clients, use `solana-sdk` (full features including keypair generation, transaction signing). The SDK includes types like Pubkey, Instruction, Transaction, and Account.

Aliassolana-sdkAliassolana-program
Developer Toolssolana-mobile-stack

Solana Mobile Stack (SMS)

A comprehensive mobile development toolkit for building Solana-native Android dApps, including an SDK for wallet integration, a Seed Vault for secure key management, and the Solana dApp Store for distribution outside traditional app stores. SMS enables mobile-first interaction with Solana programs, token management, and transaction signing from Android devices.

AliasSMSAliasSolana Mobile
Developer Toolssolana-verify

Solana Verify (solana-verifiable-build)

A tool and standard for verifying that deployed on-chain program bytecode matches public source code. `solana-verify build` produces a deterministic build using Docker, and `solana-verify verify-from-repo` checks the deployed binary against a Git repo. Verified programs are listed on the Solana Explorer and OtterSec's verify registry, increasing user trust.

Related terms

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Developer Toolssolana-keygen

solana-keygen

A CLI tool for generating and managing Solana keypairs. `solana-keygen new` creates a keypair file at `~/.config/solana/id.json`. `solana-keygen grind` generates vanity addresses. `solana-keygen pubkey` displays the public key. `solana-keygen verify` confirms a pubkey matches a keypair. Keypairs are stored as 64-byte JSON arrays.

Developer Toolssolana-test-validator

solana-test-validator

A lightweight local Solana validator for development. Runs a single-node cluster on localhost:8899 (RPC) and localhost:8900 (WebSocket). Supports `--clone` to copy mainnet accounts, `--bpf-program` to load programs, and `--reset` to clear state. Processes transactions instantly without PoH delays. Useful for rapid iteration but doesn't simulate network conditions.

More in category

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Developer Tools

Anchor Framework

The most popular framework for building Solana programs in Rust. Anchor provides macros (#[program], #[account], #[derive(Accounts)]) that auto-generate boilerplate for account validation, serialization, discriminators, and error handling. It includes a CLI (anchor init/build/test/deploy), IDL generation, and TypeScript client generation. Reduces program code by ~80% compared to native development.

Developer Tools

#[account] Macro (Anchor)

The Anchor macro applied to structs to define on-chain account data layouts. `#[account]` auto-derives Borsh serialization, adds an 8-byte discriminator prefix (SHA-256 of 'account:<Name>'), and implements space calculation. Optional attributes: `#[account(zero_copy)]` for zero-copy deserialization of large accounts.

Developer Tools

#[derive(Accounts)] (Anchor)

The Anchor macro that defines the accounts struct for an instruction. Each field specifies an account with validation constraints. Account types include: `Account<'info, T>` (deserialized), `Signer<'info>` (must sign), `Program<'info, T>` (program reference), `SystemAccount<'info>`, and `UncheckedAccount<'info>` (no validation, use carefully).

Developer Tools

Anchor Constraints

Declarative validation rules on Anchor account fields. Key constraints: `#[account(mut)]` (writable), `#[account(init, payer=x, space=n)]` (create), `#[account(seeds=[...], bump)]` (PDA validation), `#[account(has_one=field)]` (field equality), `#[account(constraint = expr)]` (custom boolean), `#[account(close=target)]` (close and reclaim rent).