Solana

Associated Token Account

In the Solana ecosystem, tokens are not stored directly in wallets or accounts. Instead, each token mint (the token type or contract) has its own Associated Token Accounts holding actual token balances. Using a well-defined process, these associated token accounts are derived from the wallet address and the token mint address.

Compute Units

Compute units on Solana are a fundamental metric used to quantify the consumption of computational resources by transactions or programs on the Solana blockchain. Every operation a program performs on the blockchain—from simple arithmetic operations to more complex instructions like cryptographic verifications—consumes a certain amount of computational power. Solana quantifies this consumption in terms of compute units.

Durable Transaction Nonces

A feature within the Solana blockchain that allows transactions to use a persistent, rather than short-lived, reference to a blockhash. This mechanism is designed to facilitate transactions in scenarios where the typical lifespan of a blockhash might not suffice, enhancing transaction reliability and predictability.

lamport

A lamport on Solana represents the smallest denomination of the native cryptocurrency, SOL. Named in honor of Leslie Lamport, a pioneer in distributed systems, one lamport is equivalent to one-billionth of a SOL (0.000000001 SOL). This division allows for fine-grained transactions and operations on the blockchain, ensuring that users can transact with very small amounts of SOL, which is particularly useful for fees, micropayments, and smart contract operations. The use of lamports facilitates precise handling of cryptocurrency on the network, allowing Solana to maintain its high throughput and efficiency while catering to a wide range of transaction sizes.

Micro-Lamports

Within the context of Solana's compute budget, micro-lamports are used to calculate transaction prioritization fees. These fees are essential for managing the network's resources by prioritizing transactions based on the computational resources they consume. A micro-lamport is an even smaller unit than a lamport, used specifically in the internal calculations and mechanisms that determine how transactions are prioritized in the processing queue.

Nonce Account

A special type of Solana account that stores a nonce, a unique number used once to signify the current or next blockhash for transactions. Nonce accounts are critical for executing durable transaction nonces, ensuring that transactions can be validated properly over longer periods.

Nonce Authority

An account that has the permission to manage a nonce account, including updating its nonce value and withdrawing funds. Authority can be transferred, allowing for flexible control structures over nonce accounts.

Rent-Exempt

In Solana, accounts must maintain a minimum balance to remain active and not be purged. This requirement ensures that the network's finite resources are used efficiently. Accounts meeting or exceeding this minimum balance are considered rent-exempt, meaning they are not charged rent because they contribute to the network's state.

Solana Program

A deployed and executed application or smart contract on the Solana blockchain. Programs are the building blocks of Solana's decentralized applications (DApps), enabling various functionalities from simple token swaps to complex decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.