Getting started | Solana

What is the Solana protocol

Solana is a permissionless network protocol with the parallel smart contract processing functionality. For consensus, Solana uses a combination of proof-of-stake to secure the network and the proof-of-history mechanism to synchronize the network state.

Validators on the network stake SOL to get the right to confirm blocks in assigned time slots.

To get an assigned time slot, validator nodes use the sequence of hashed events that each of them maintains, which is called proof of history.

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What is the Solana API

The Solana API allows developers to communicate with the Solana blockchain to build applications.

To read data from and send transactions to the Solana blockchain, an application must connect to a Solana RPC node.

When communicating with a Solana RPC node, the Solana client implements a JSON-RPC specification, a communication protocol allowing one to make remote calls and execute them as if they were made locally.

Method limits

• getBlock:
  • Range: 500,000 slots
  • Chainstack Global Network Worldwide global1 RPS: 30
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 40
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 60
• getBlocks:
  • Chainstack Global Network Worldwide global1 RPS: 20
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 40
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 40
• getProgramAccounts:
  • Chainstack Global Network global1 RPS: 1
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 2
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 2
• getConfirmedBlock:
  • Chainstack Global Network global1 RPS: 1
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 2
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 2
• getInflationReward:
  • Chainstack Global Network Worldwide global1 RPS: 1
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 2
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 2
• getSupply:
  • Chainstack Global Network Worldwide global1 RPS: 1
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 2
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 2
• getLargestAccounts:
  • Chainstack Global Network Worldwide global1 RPS: 1
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 2
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 2
• getTokenAccountsByOwner :
  • Chainstack Global Network Worldwide global1 RPS: 500
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 1000
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 1000
• getSignaturesForAddress :
  • Chainstack Global Network Worldwide global1 RPS: 500
  • Chainstack Cloud Amsterdam ams1 RPS: 1000
  • Chainstack Cloud Ashburn ash1 RPS: 1000

How to start using the Solana API

To use the Solana API, you need access to a Solana RPC node.

Follow these steps to sign up on Chainstack, deploy a Solana RPC node, and find your endpoint credentials:

1. Sign up with Chainstack.
2. Deploy a node.
3. View node access and credentials.

Now you are ready to connect to the Solana blockchain and use the Solana API to build.

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See also

Build better with Solana