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Solana Program Prerequisites

Before developing Solana programs (smart contracts), you need to install and configure the necessary tools. This guide assumes you have already completed the basic environment setup from the Setup Guide.

Required Tools​

1. Solana CLI​

The Solana Command Line Interface (CLI) is essential for interacting with Solana clusters, managing accounts, and deploying programs.

Installation:

sh -c "$(curl -sSfL https://release.solana.com/stable/install)"

Verify Installation:

solana --version

Configure for Devnet (recommended for development):

solana config set --url https://api.devnet.solana.com

Check Configuration:

solana config get

2. Anchor Framework​

Anchor is the most popular framework for Solana program development. It provides:

  • A convenient way to build Solana programs
  • IDL (Interface Definition Language) generation
  • Client SDK generation
  • Testing utilities
  • Built-in security checks

Installation using AVM (Anchor Version Manager):

cargo install --git https://github.com/coral-xyz/anchor avm --locked --force
avm install latest
avm use latest

Verify Installation:

anchor --version

Note: If you encounter issues, you can also install Anchor directly:

cargo install --git https://github.com/coral-xyz/anchor anchor-cli --locked --force

3. Rust Toolchain​

Solana programs are written in Rust. Make sure you have Rust installed:

Check Rust Installation:

rustc --version
cargo --version

Install Rust (if needed):

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

Install Required Rust Targets:

rustup target add bpf-unknown-unknown
rustup target add sbf-solana-solana

For local development, you can run a local Solana cluster:

Start Local Validator:

solana-test-validator

Configure CLI for Local Validator:

solana config set --url localhost

Keep the validator running in a separate terminal during development.

5. Node.js and npm (for Client Development)​

For building client applications that interact with Solana programs:

Install Node.js (if not already installed):

Verify Installation:

node --version
npm --version

Install Solana Web3.js:

npm install @solana/web3.js

Development Environment Setup​

Create a Development Keypair​

For development, you'll need a keypair to deploy programs:

Generate a New Keypair:

solana-keygen new

This will:

  • Create a new keypair file (usually ~/.config/solana/id.json)
  • Ask you to set a passphrase (optional for devnet)
  • Display your public key

View Your Public Key:

solana address

Get Test SOL on Devnet:

solana airdrop 2

This requests 2 SOL from the devnet faucet. You can request more if needed (up to the daily limit).

Verify Your Setup​

Run these commands to verify everything is configured correctly:

# Check Solana CLI
solana --version

# Check Anchor
anchor --version

# Check Rust
rustc --version

# Check your configuration
solana config get

# Check your balance (should show SOL on devnet)
solana balance

VS Code Extensions​

For a better development experience, install these VS Code extensions:

  1. Rust Analyzer: For Rust language support

    • Extension ID: rust-lang.rust-analyzer

  2. Anchor: For Anchor framework support

    • Extension ID: coral-xyz.anchor

  3. Solana: For Solana development tools

    • Extension ID: solana.solana

Installation​

Open VS Code and go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X), then search for and install the extensions listed above.

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Issue: solana command not found

  • Solution: Add Solana to your PATH. Add this to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:
    export PATH="$HOME/.local/share/solana/install/active_release/bin:$PATH"
    Then reload: source ~/.bashrc or source ~/.zshrc

Issue: Anchor installation fails

  • Solution: Make sure Rust is up to date: rustup update
  • Try installing without --locked flag
  • Check that you have the latest version of Cargo

Issue: Cannot get airdrop on devnet

  • Solution:
    • Wait a few minutes and try again (rate limiting)
    • Use a different RPC endpoint
    • Check devnet status at status.solana.com

Issue: Test validator won't start

  • Solution:
    • Make sure port 8899 is not in use
    • Check that you have sufficient disk space
    • Try resetting: solana-test-validator --reset

Next Steps​

Once you have all prerequisites installed:

  1. ✅ Verify all tools are working
  2. ✅ Configure for devnet
  3. ✅ Get test SOL
  4. ➡️ Proceed to Your First Solana Program

Additional Resources​