Solana Program
The equivalent of a smart contract on Solana; programs are deployed separately from their state accounts.
Solana Program — A Solana program is the Solana equivalent of a smart contract — executable code deployed on the Solana blockchain that processes instructions and modifies account state. Programs are typically written in Rust using the Anchor framework and are stateless by design, storing all data in separate accounts rather than within the program itself.
What Is a Solana Program?
On Solana, deployed code is called a 'program' rather than a 'smart contract.' Programs are stateless executables that receive instructions and the accounts they should operate on. All data is stored in accounts, and programs define the rules for how those accounts can be modified. This architecture enables parallel execution — transactions touching different accounts can run simultaneously.
Program Development
Most Solana programs are written in Rust and compiled to BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) bytecode. The Anchor framework simplifies development by providing macros for instruction parsing, account validation, and error handling. Programs can be upgradeable (owned by a key that can deploy new versions) or immutable (frozen permanently after deployment).
Programs in DeFi
Solana's DeFi ecosystem is built on programs: Raydium, Orca, and Jupiter are DEX programs; Marinade and Jito are staking programs; and Marginfi and Kamino are lending programs. Each processes millions of instructions daily. OpenLiquid interacts with these DEX programs to execute volume-generation trades across Solana's DeFi landscape.
Related Terms
Solana TPS
Solana's theoretical transaction throughput of 65,000+ transactions per second, making it the fastest major smart contract chain.
Read definition Wallet & InfrastructureRent Exempt (Solana)
A minimum SOL balance an account must maintain to stay active on Solana, avoiding periodic rent charges from the network.
Read definition Chain-SpecificProof of History (Solana)
Solana's unique consensus innovation creating a historical record proving events occurred at specific moments, enabling parallel transaction processing.
Read definition Chain-SpecificWrapped SOL (wSOL)
An SPL-token version of SOL with a 1:1 peg, required for interacting with certain Solana DeFi protocols that use SPL standards.
Read definitionFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Solana Program in cryptocurrency and DeFi.
Solana programs are stateless — they do not store data internally. All state lives in separate accounts passed to the program at execution time. This enables parallel processing but requires a different mental model than Ethereum's stateful contract approach.
Most Solana programs are written in Rust. The Anchor framework is the most popular development tool. Some programs use C or C++. A newer option, Seahorse, allows Python-like syntax that compiles to Anchor Rust.
Yes, if the program authority has not been revoked. Upgradeable programs can deploy new bytecode while maintaining the same program ID. For maximum security and trust, programs can be made immutable by revoking the upgrade authority permanently.
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