Solana Changelog: Cardinal Labs, Jupiter, and Developer Tools

In this week's Solana Changelog, we dive into the latest developments in the Solana ecosystem, covering significant updates, new features, and important changes that impact developers and users alike. From the unfortunate news of Cardinal Labs' shutdown to exciting advancements in Jupiter's support for Token 2022, this changelog provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of Solana's rapidly evolving landscape.

Cardinal Labs Shutdown

One of the most notable events in the Solana ecosystem this week is the announcement of Cardinal Labs shutting down both their protocol and services. Cardinal Labs has been a cornerstone in the Solana developer community, providing invaluable tools and resources that have significantly contributed to the ecosystem's growth and innovation.

The news of their closure has been met with an outpouring of support and appreciation from the community, highlighting the impact Cardinal Labs has had on Solana's development landscape. As Jacob, one of the hosts, mentioned:

"They've been really good developers and have provided a lot of great tools for people to use in the past. So it's very hard to see them go."

For developers who have been utilizing Cardinal Labs' services, it's crucial to start looking for alternatives immediately. The shutdown process is expected to take place over a three-week period, giving developers a limited window to migrate their projects and ensure continuity.

While the loss of Cardinal Labs is undoubtedly a setback for the Solana ecosystem, there is a silver lining. As Jonas pointed out:

"Everyone still a great resource for the community. Yeah, it's great that everything is open source so that people can still fork it and use it if they need to."

This open-source nature of Cardinal Labs' projects means that their contributions will continue to benefit the community even after their shutdown. Developers can still access, fork, and build upon the code, ensuring that the innovative solutions created by Cardinal Labs live on.

Jupiter's Token 2022 Support

In more positive news, Jupiter, a popular decentralized exchange aggregator on Solana, has announced a significant feature addition – support for Token 2022. This update represents a major step forward in the adoption of Solana's next-generation token standard.

Token 2022 is an upgraded version of the current SPL Token program, offering enhanced functionality and flexibility for token creation and management on the Solana blockchain. Jupiter's integration of Token 2022 support opens up new possibilities for traders and developers alike.

Jacob elaborated on the significance of this update:

"What you can do now is it will support routes with Fluxbeam, which is the only DEX out there right now that has Token 2022 support, and it will allow you to do basically use Jupiter and get Token 2022 tokens."

While the adoption of Token 2022 is still in its early stages, Jupiter's move to support it is a clear indicator of the direction the Solana ecosystem is heading. This early integration paves the way for more widespread use of Token 2022 and its advanced features in the future.

Jonas expressed excitement about the potential implications of this development:

"I'm also very excited about this one because there's also lots of discussions about what can be done with it now that wasn't possible before. There's also a new metadata standard which could be connected to it eventually and confidential transfers and so on using some pools."

The integration of Token 2022 support by Jupiter is not just about immediate functionality; it's about laying the groundwork for future innovations in the Solana ecosystem. As more projects adopt Token 2022, we can expect to see a new wave of sophisticated and feature-rich applications built on Solana.

Cubik's Tooling Round

Another exciting development in the Solana ecosystem is the launch of a tooling round on Cubik, a platform designed to support and fund projects within the Solana community. This initiative provides an excellent opportunity for developers to showcase their tools and receive funding through a unique quadratic funding model.

Jonas provided an overview of how the Cubik tooling round works:

"You can log in, prove yourself with some authentication methods like for example connect your Google account and your GitHub account and so on, and then you can provide some money to these projects and then it will be quadratically increased."

This innovative funding approach means that even small donations can have a significant impact. As Jacob explained:

"It's great because you have a $20,000 match right now, and if people donate $1, I believe you get like $20 in match at $1 donation."

The Cubik tooling round features a diverse range of projects, including session keys, Renaissance, Wormhole, Unity SDK, Cubic itself, Tiny Dancer, and Carvia, among others. This variety showcases the depth and breadth of development happening within the Solana ecosystem.

For developers who have created tools for the Solana ecosystem, this presents an excellent opportunity to gain exposure and potentially secure funding. Jacob encouraged developers to get involved:

"If you do have a project like a tool that you've been building in the Solana ecosystem, apply for the round and get your project in there so that it can be open for donations and be matched quadratically with the matching pool."

The Cubik tooling round not only provides financial support to promising projects but also serves as a discovery platform for the community to find and support innovative tools that enhance the Solana development experience.

sRFC-14: Rethinking SPL-token

In an effort to continually improve and evolve the Solana ecosystem, a new Solana Request for Comments (sRFC) has been proposed. sRFC-14 focuses on rethinking the SPL-token program, addressing current limitations and proposing solutions for future improvements.

Jacob outlined the key points of sRFC-14:

"This outlines issues like barriers to innovation because of the single program, there's not clear governance, and then gives you some proposed solutions."

The sRFC-14 proposal is not standalone but is part of a broader initiative to enhance Solana's token ecosystem. It ties in closely with other proposals such as sRFC-15 (interfaces) and sRFC-10 (traits). Together, these proposals aim to create a more flexible and innovative environment for token creation and management on Solana.

The goals of these proposals include:

1. Making it easier to create new tokens in the future
2. Enabling the creation of multiple programs that follow a singular interface
3. Promoting innovation in token design and functionality
4. Reducing singular control over the token program

This rethinking of the SPL-token program could have far-reaching implications for the Solana ecosystem. By addressing current limitations and opening up new possibilities, it has the potential to spark a new wave of token-based innovations on the platform.

Jonas encouraged community participation in the discussion:

"If anything is bothering you about it or if you have ideas how it could be better in the future, just come in here and write your comments. They're discussing it openly. So it's a great chance to help."

This open discussion format ensures that the evolution of Solana's token standards is a collaborative effort, taking into account the needs and ideas of the entire community.

Rust Version in Solana Programs

On the technical side, a notable commit has been highlighted this week that addresses a common pain point for Solana developers. The commit introduces the ability to specify the Rust version in Solana programs, a feature that could significantly improve the development experience.

Jonas explained the significance of this change:

"It lets you add the Rust version to the Solana program. So there's no these accidental problems anymore that you install the wrong platform tools and suddenly you can't compile anymore. You run into some issues which are very hard to debug."

This seemingly small change can have a big impact on developer productivity. By explicitly specifying the Rust version, it becomes easier to maintain consistency across different development environments and avoid compatibility issues.

Jacob pointed out that this could help resolve some long-standing issues:

"This would probably help out with some of the incompatible issues that we've seen with Anchor and native in the past."

The ability to specify Rust versions in Solana programs is a welcome addition that showcases the ongoing efforts to improve the developer experience in the Solana ecosystem.

New Solana Tools Repository

In an effort to centralize information about the various tools available in the Solana ecosystem, a new repository has been created under the Solana Developers organization. This repository, curated by Joe from the developer relations team, serves as a comprehensive list of tools for Solana development.

Jacob encouraged the community to contribute to this resource:

"I'd recommend if you go there and you don't see your tool listed, make a PR. Let's get it added so that we can have one singular location that has basically an awesome list of tools within Solana."

This centralized repository of Solana tools will be an invaluable resource for developers, both new and experienced. It will help streamline the process of finding the right tools for specific tasks and showcase the rich ecosystem of developer resources available in the Solana space.

Compressed NFT Utilities

Another significant contribution to the Solana developer ecosystem comes in the form of new utilities for working with compressed NFTs. These utilities, contributed by a community member known as "Bob burger" on Twitter, add important functionality to the existing program examples.

Jonas highlighted the importance of these new utilities:

"He did a bunch of very cool and compressed NFT utils in addition to the ones that are already there in the program examples. Now you can also, I think he has transfer, mint, and verify, which is also very nice because before it was kind of difficult to figure out if the NFT is actually valid in the program and he has an example for that."

These new examples and utilities address a gap in the documentation and resources available for working with compressed NFTs on Solana. When compressed NFTs were first introduced, many developers struggled with implementing them correctly on the program side. These new utilities and examples will help simplify this process and enable more developers to work effectively with compressed NFTs.

Jacob acknowledged the broader contributions of "burger" to the Solana community:

"Burger, well, it's been a shout out to burger. But he's been helping out with a lot of different things in the community. Like one, this example is great because there, when I remember when compressed NFTs came out, everybody was still chewing glass on how to do it on the program side. So this helps out a whole bunch."

This contribution exemplifies the collaborative nature of the Solana ecosystem, where community members actively work to improve documentation, provide examples, and create tools that benefit all developers.

Solana Stack Exchange

The hosts also took a moment to highlight the importance of the Solana Stack Exchange, a question-and-answer platform specific to Solana development. They emphasized the value of this resource and encouraged the community to actively participate in building it up.

Jacob explained the significance of the Solana Stack Exchange:

"Push that question the answer to Solana Stack Exchange. The reason why we do this is that for all of those questions and answers, they'll get indexed by the search engines. And then when people have issues in the future, they don't have to go to a Discord server to get their answer. They can just do a quick Google search, get their answer immediately from the Stack Exchange and move on."

By contributing questions and answers to the Solana Stack Exchange, developers can help create a lasting resource that benefits the entire community. This not only helps current developers find solutions more quickly but also makes it easier for new developers to enter the Solana ecosystem.

Jonas added that participating in the Stack Exchange can also be enjoyable:

"It's actually also a decent amount of fun because you get points when people upvote your questions and approve your questions. Your answers is correct and you also get some badges and then you get some new abilities that you can review other questions and so on. So it's a fun thing."

The growth of the Solana Stack Exchange is crucial for the long-term sustainability and accessibility of Solana development knowledge. By encouraging participation, the hosts are helping to ensure that the Solana ecosystem remains welcoming and supportive for developers at all levels.

Conclusion

This week's Solana Changelog highlights the dynamic nature of the Solana ecosystem. From the bittersweet news of Cardinal Labs' shutdown to exciting developments in token standards and developer tools, it's clear that Solana continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

The support for Token 2022 by Jupiter, the launch of Cubik's tooling round, and the ongoing efforts to improve developer resources all point to a bright future for Solana. These developments not only enhance the current capabilities of the platform but also lay the groundwork for future innovations.

As the ecosystem continues to grow and mature, the importance of community contributions becomes ever more apparent. Whether it's contributing to open-source projects, participating in discussions about protocol improvements, or sharing knowledge on platforms like the Solana Stack Exchange, every contribution helps to strengthen and expand the Solana ecosystem.

For developers and users alike, staying informed about these changes and actively participating in the ecosystem's growth is crucial. As Solana continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in blockchain technology, it offers exciting opportunities for innovation and development.

The Solana community's resilience, creativity, and collaborative spirit shine through in this week's updates. Despite challenges like the loss of Cardinal Labs, the ecosystem continues to move forward, driven by the collective efforts of developers, projects, and users who believe in Solana's potential to revolutionize blockchain technology.

As we look forward to future developments, it's clear that Solana remains at the forefront of blockchain innovation, continually striving to improve performance, usability, and developer experience. With each passing week, Solana cements its position as a leading platform for building the next generation of decentralized applications and financial systems.

Facts + Figures

• Cardinal Labs announced the shutdown of both their protocol and services, with a three-week migration period for users.
• Jupiter added support for Token 2022, enabling routes with Fluxbeam, currently the only DEX with Token 2022 support.
• Cubik launched a tooling round with a $20,000 matching pool, where a $1 donation can result in a $20 match.
• sRFC-14 proposes rethinking the SPL-token program to address issues like barriers to innovation and lack of clear governance.
• A new commit allows specifying the Rust version in Solana programs, potentially resolving compatibility issues between Anchor and native development.
• A new Solana tools repository has been created under the Solana Developers organization to centralize information about available tools.
• New utilities for compressed NFTs, including transfer, mint, and verify functions, have been added to the program examples.
• The Solana Stack Exchange is being promoted as a key resource for developers to find and share solutions.

Questions Answered

What happened to Cardinal Labs?

Cardinal Labs announced that they are shutting down both their protocol and services. This came as a surprise to many in the Solana community, as Cardinal Labs has been a significant contributor to the ecosystem. Developers using Cardinal Labs' services have a three-week period to migrate their projects to alternative solutions. Despite the shutdown, all of Cardinal Labs' work remains open-source, allowing developers to continue using and building upon their contributions.

How is Jupiter supporting Token 2022?

Jupiter, a popular decentralized exchange aggregator on Solana, has added support for Token 2022. This new feature allows users to interact with Token 2022 tokens through Jupiter's interface. Currently, Jupiter supports routes with Fluxbeam, which is the only decentralized exchange (DEX) that has implemented Token 2022 support. This early adoption of Token 2022 by Jupiter paves the way for more widespread use of this new token standard in the Solana ecosystem.

What is the Cubik tooling round?

The Cubik tooling round is a funding initiative for Solana development tools. Developers can submit their projects to be considered for funding, and community members can donate to projects they find valuable. What makes this round unique is its quadratic funding model - donations are matched from a $20,000 pool, with smaller donations receiving a higher proportional match. This approach allows even small contributions to have a significant impact, encouraging broad community participation in funding Solana development tools.

What changes does sRFC-14 propose for SPL-token?

sRFC-14 proposes rethinking the SPL-token program on Solana. It outlines current issues with the program, such as barriers to innovation due to the single program structure and lack of clear governance. The proposal suggests solutions to these problems, aiming to make it easier to create new tokens, enable multiple programs to follow a single interface, and promote innovation in token design. This proposal is part of a broader initiative to improve Solana's token ecosystem, working in conjunction with other proposals like sRFC-15 (interfaces) and sRFC-10 (traits).

What new developer resources are available for Solana?

Several new resources have been made available for Solana developers. A new Solana tools repository has been created under the Solana Developers organization, serving as a centralized list of tools for Solana development. New utilities for working with compressed NFTs have been added to the program examples, including functions for transfer, mint, and verification. Additionally, a commit has been made that allows specifying the Rust version in Solana programs, which could help resolve compatibility issues between different development environments.

Why is the Solana Stack Exchange important?

The Solana Stack Exchange is crucial for building a lasting knowledge base for Solana development. Unlike Discord conversations, questions and answers on Stack Exchange are indexed by search engines, making them easily discoverable by developers facing similar issues in the future. This platform allows developers to find solutions quickly without having to wait for responses in real-time chat environments. By contributing to the Solana Stack Exchange, developers help create a comprehensive resource that benefits the entire Solana community and makes it easier for new developers to enter the ecosystem.