Solana Changelog: Faster Transactions, Stake-Weighted QoS, and Compute Optimization

In the latest episode of the Solana Changelog, Nick from the Solana Foundation DevRel team and Jacob dive into the recent developments and updates in the Solana ecosystem. This week's discussion covers a range of topics, from improvements in transaction processing to new tools for developers and upcoming hackathon opportunities.

Colosseum Renaissance Hackathon: A Global Opportunity for Solana Developers

The Solana global hackathon, known as the Renaissance hackathon, is currently underway and presents an exciting opportunity for developers in the Solana ecosystem. Organized by Colosseum, this event offers more than just a chance to showcase innovative projects.

Nick highlights one of the most compelling aspects of the hackathon: "Everyone who submits and is a track winner for any of the hackathon tracks, they're eligible to join the Colosseum accelerator, which is this really cool, like, Y-Combinator style accelerator for the Solana ecosystem."

The Colosseum accelerator provides a wealth of benefits for successful participants, including:

1. Extensive mentorship
2. Project reviews
3. Assistance in securing additional funding
4. Direct funding opportunities from Colosseum

For those interested in participating, all the details about the hackathon, including dates, prizes, and different tracks, can be found on the official website at colosseum.org.

Maximizing Your Hackathon Success

Jacob offers valuable advice for hackathon participants looking to make the most of their experience and catch the judges' attention:

"If you are building in Colosseum, talk about your project on social and building projects early, because that's what gets the judges' attention of your project, and we'll make it to where they're looking for your project whenever they look at the results."

This strategy of early promotion and showcasing can significantly boost a project's visibility and chances of success in the hackathon. Participants are encouraged to share their progress on social media platforms and tag the Solana team to gain additional exposure.

SIMD-0129: Improving Developer Experience with Alt_BN128 Syscalls

The podcast discusses a new proposal, SIMD-0129, which aims to enhance the developer experience when working with Alt_BN128 syscalls. Proposed by the Firedancer team at Jump, this update focuses on simplifying error codes to provide clearer feedback to developers.

Jacob explains the significance of this proposal: "It's adding some error codes or simplifying the error codes so that we'll have a better developer experience on the other end of understanding what went wrong whenever using this Alt-Bn-1-2-8 call."

While these syscalls are not currently activated on the Solana mainnet, the implementation of these improved error codes will allow developers to better understand and troubleshoot issues in their programs when using these calls in the future.

The Importance of Syscall Error Codes in Consensus

An interesting point raised during the discussion is why this seemingly minor change requires a Solana Improvement Document (SIMD). Jacob clarifies:

"Syscall error codes are governed by consensus, not other error codes, like if you're running your own program, but syscalls specifically are. So, that's why it has some Ds."

This distinction highlights the critical nature of syscall error codes in maintaining consistency across the Solana network and emphasizes the importance of carefully considering even small changes that affect consensus-related aspects of the blockchain.

Accelerating Transaction Processing in the Solana CLI Client

One of the most exciting developments discussed in this episode is a recent commit to the Agave client by John Chancway. This update addresses a significant pain point for Solana developers: the speed of sending transactions via the CLI client, particularly when deploying programs.

Nick enthusiastically describes the improvement: "This is one of the many changes that are in the works or have already been implemented to help ease that pain a little bit. And specifically, it's for sending and confirming transactions in parallel."

The update enhances the CLI client's ability to parallelize transaction sending, resulting in significantly faster transaction processing. This improvement is particularly crucial for developers who frequently deploy programs or need to send multiple transactions in quick succession.

Jacob expresses hope that this is just the beginning of a series of improvements: "This is awesome change. And I hope this is one of many that will make sending transactions via the CLI, whether or not you're deploying programs or just sending for one person the other easier overall."

Enhancing Cluster Restart Capabilities

Another important development discussed is the ongoing work on the "wen-restart" SIMD, which focuses on improving the process of restarting the Solana cluster after a halt. The team at Anza is making progress on implementing features that will help in determining the heaviest fork and automating the restart process.

Jacob explains: "The Anza team is doing a lot of work to one, do some of the work that is not required or it's required for when restart, but it's not like going to change everything. Like, this can be part of the CLI. So, you can very quickly find the heaviest fork, understand what's going on and better basically debug the cluster."

While the full SIMD has not yet reached consensus, these incremental improvements to the CLI are valuable steps towards enhancing the robustness and reliability of the Solana network.

Stake-Weighted Quality of Service: Improving RPC and Validator Connections

The podcast touches on an important development in the realm of RPC (Remote Procedure Call) and validator connections: stake-weighted Quality of Service (QoS). This feature aims to optimize the communication between RPCs and validators based on their stake weight in the network.

Jacob describes the current state and upcoming improvements: "Currently, the way is a little bit difficult. There is going to be a guide out at the time of this video release on how to do that. But the way you do it today is a little bit difficult where you're having to basically choose what stake weight to apply to different IPs or different RPCs via, I think it's like the stake override flags, as well as there is another flag that you have to run on your RPC, but it only sends it to your validator."

The new implementation simplifies this process and extends its functionality: "This one makes a little bit easier to where it also will send also to the leader, not just the value that you choose. So, you have a better chance of getting included in the block."

This improvement in stake-weighted QoS is expected to enhance the overall performance and fairness of the Solana network by ensuring that validators with higher stake have appropriate priority in processing transactions.

Web3.js Tech Preview 2: Advancing JavaScript Integration for Solana

The release of Web3.js Tech Preview 2 marks a significant milestone in the evolution of JavaScript tools for Solana development. Building on the foundation laid by Tech Preview 1, which was unveiled at the Breakpoint conference, this new release brings a host of improvements and new features.

Nick highlights one of the key advancements: "One of the really cool things about this is we talked about CreateSolana program, the amazing tool that Loris from ANZA put together. And the tech preview number two here actually starts using CreateSolana program within it."

This integration allows developers to achieve a full end-to-end solution for Web3.js implementations, including the ability to generate JavaScript-based clients for on-chain programs automatically. The preview includes auto-generated clients for core Solana programs such as System, Memo, and Account Lookup Tables, showcasing the power and flexibility of this new tooling.

Jacob emphasizes the importance of community feedback during this preview phase: "If you're interested in trying it out and improving the developer experience for the new Web3.js, please report anything that you find that is kind of confusing as an issue on the Solana Web3.js repo. That way, we can make sure the developer experience is the best as possible when it's not a preview."

This call for feedback underscores the Solana team's commitment to creating developer-friendly tools and their recognition of the community's role in shaping the ecosystem's future.

Optimizing Compute Usage on Solana: New Developer Guides

A significant addition to the Solana developer resources is a new set of guides focused on optimizing compute usage. These guides are crucial for developers looking to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their Solana programs.

Jacob explains the importance of compute optimization: "Since you're using priority fees, you're paying for every compute to run that program and get the best user experience possible on Solana. Well, if the compute is lower, you pay less or your users pay less. So let's figure out how to optimize it."

The guides offer practical tips and strategies for reducing compute units (CU) usage in Solana programs. For example, one simple yet effective optimization involves changing how public keys are logged:

"If you're doing some like base 58 encoding in your logs for logging public keys, don't do that and use like concatenation or the key.log function, that will use like an order of magnitude less CU overall."

These optimizations can lead to significant reductions in transaction costs and improved overall performance of Solana applications. Developers are encouraged to review these guides and implement the suggested optimizations in their projects.

Solana Stack Exchange: Recognizing Community Contributors

The podcast concludes with a shoutout to top contributors on the Solana Stack Exchange, highlighting the importance of community-driven support and knowledge sharing in the ecosystem.

Nick and Jacob recognize the efforts of John Chinkway, Yan (a newcomer to the leaderboard), Jonas, and BurgerBob for their significant contributions to the Solana developer community through the Stack Exchange platform.

This recognition not only celebrates individual efforts but also underscores the value of the Stack Exchange as a resource for Solana developers. As Jacob notes, "Because you know, a lot of people are asking questions in discord. If you want them to be able to just Google the results and throw on stack exchange."

By encouraging developers to share their questions and answers on Stack Exchange, the Solana community is building a searchable, accessible knowledge base that will benefit developers for years to come.

Conclusion: A Thriving Ecosystem of Innovation and Improvement

This episode of the Solana Changelog showcases the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of the Solana ecosystem. From improvements in core infrastructure like transaction processing and cluster management to the development of new tools and resources for developers, it's clear that Solana is committed to enhancing its platform on multiple fronts.

The ongoing global hackathon, improvements in developer tools like Web3.js, and the focus on optimizing compute usage all point to a bright future for Solana. As the ecosystem continues to grow and mature, these incremental improvements and community-driven initiatives will play a crucial role in solidifying Solana's position as a leading blockchain platform for decentralized applications.

Developers, whether they're seasoned Solana veterans or newcomers to the ecosystem, have much to look forward to. With faster transactions, better tools, and a supportive community, the barriers to entry for building on Solana are lower than ever. As Nick and Jacob sign off, it's clear that the Solana team is excited about the future and eager to see what innovative projects and solutions the community will create next.

Facts + Figures

• The Solana global hackathon, called Renaissance, is currently ongoing with details available at colosseum.org
• Track winners of the hackathon are eligible to join the Colosseum accelerator, offering mentorship and funding opportunities
• SIMD-0129 proposes simplifying error codes for Alt_BN128 syscalls to improve developer experience
• A recent commit by John Chancway improves transaction sending speed in the Solana CLI client through better parallelization
• Ongoing work on the "wen-restart" SIMD aims to enhance cluster restart capabilities and debugging
• Stake-weighted Quality of Service improvements are being implemented to optimize RPC and validator connections
• Web3.js Tech Preview 2 has been released, integrating CreateSolana program for auto-generating JavaScript clients
• New developer guides on optimizing compute usage on Solana have been published
• Top contributors on Solana Stack Exchange for the week include John Chinkway, Yan, Jonas, and BurgerBob
• The Alt_BN128 syscalls are not currently activated on the Solana mainnet
• Syscall error codes are governed by consensus, unlike other error codes in Solana programs
• Simple optimizations like changing public key logging methods can reduce compute usage by an order of magnitude
• The Solana team encourages early promotion and showcasing of projects for hackathon participants

Questions Answered

What is the Colosseum Renaissance hackathon?

The Colosseum Renaissance hackathon is a global event for Solana developers. It offers participants the chance to showcase innovative projects and potentially join the Colosseum accelerator. The accelerator provides mentorship, project reviews, and funding opportunities for successful participants. Details about the hackathon, including dates, prizes, and tracks, can be found at colosseum.org.

How can developers optimize compute usage on Solana?

Developers can optimize compute usage on Solana by following newly published guides that offer practical tips and strategies. One simple optimization involves changing how public keys are logged, using concatenation or the key.log function instead of base 58 encoding. This can reduce compute units (CU) usage by an order of magnitude. The guides cover various techniques to lower CU usage in Solana programs, which can lead to reduced transaction costs and improved performance.

What improvements are being made to transaction processing in the Solana CLI client?

Recent improvements to the Solana CLI client focus on enhancing transaction processing speed, particularly for program deployment. A commit by John Chancway implements better parallelization for sending and confirming transactions. This update allows the CLI client to send transactions much faster by improving its ability to parallelize the process. The change is part of ongoing efforts to make transaction sending via the CLI easier and more efficient for developers.

What is stake-weighted Quality of Service (QoS) in Solana?

Stake-weighted Quality of Service (QoS) is a feature being implemented to optimize connections between RPCs (Remote Procedure Calls) and validators based on their stake weight in the Solana network. The new implementation simplifies the process of applying stake weights to different IPs or RPCs and extends functionality to include sending to the leader node. This improvement aims to enhance network performance and fairness by ensuring validators with higher stake have appropriate priority in transaction processing.

What new features are included in Web3.js Tech Preview 2?

Web3.js Tech Preview 2 introduces several new features and improvements for Solana developers. It integrates the CreateSolana program, allowing for automatic generation of JavaScript-based clients for on-chain programs. The preview includes auto-generated clients for core Solana programs such as System, Memo, and Account Lookup Tables. This release represents a significant step towards providing a full end-to-end solution for Web3.js implementations in the Solana ecosystem.