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.

IDsolana-keygen

Plain meaning

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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.

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solana-keygen (solana-keygen)
Category: Developer Tools
Definition: 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.
Related: Keypair, Solana CLI
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Branch

Keypair

A pair of a 32-byte Ed25519 private key and its corresponding 32-byte public key. Keypairs are used to sign transactions and derive account addresses. They are stored as 64-byte arrays (private + public concatenated) in JSON files by the Solana CLI. The private key should never be shared or exposed.

Branch

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.

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Programming Model

Keypair

A pair of a 32-byte Ed25519 private key and its corresponding 32-byte public key. Keypairs are used to sign transactions and derive account addresses. They are stored as 64-byte arrays (private + public concatenated) in JSON files by the Solana CLI. The private key should never be shared or exposed.

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.

Developer Tools

solana-program Crate

The Rust crate (solana-program) providing the core types and syscalls for on-chain program development. It includes: entrypoint!, msg!, AccountInfo, Pubkey, ProgramResult, invoke/invoke_signed, and system instruction builders. This crate compiles to SBF and must be used instead of solana-sdk for on-chain code.

Developer Tools

Solana Web3.js

The official JavaScript/TypeScript SDK (@solana/web3.js v1) for building Solana clients. Provides classes: Connection (RPC), PublicKey, Keypair, Transaction, SystemProgram, and more. Used for sending transactions, querying accounts, and subscribing to events. v1 uses a class-based API; v2 (@solana/kit) uses a functional, tree-shakeable design.

Commonly confused with

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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-cli

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.

Aliassolana-cliAliassolana
Developer Toolssolana-web3js-v2

Web3.js v2 (@solana/kit)

The next-generation Solana TypeScript SDK (@solana/kit, formerly @solana/web3.js v2) featuring a modular, functional API. Unlike v1's monolithic classes, v2 uses composable functions and tree-shaking for smaller bundles. Key changes: pipe-based transaction building, codec-based serialization, and native support for versioned transactions. Significantly smaller bundle size than v1.

Alias@solana/kitAliasSolana Kit
Related terms

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Programming Modelkeypair

Keypair

A pair of a 32-byte Ed25519 private key and its corresponding 32-byte public key. Keypairs are used to sign transactions and derive account addresses. They are stored as 64-byte arrays (private + public concatenated) in JSON files by the Solana CLI. The private key should never be shared or exposed.

Developer Toolssolana-cli

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.

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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).