Solana CLI Usage Reference

The Solana CLI is a powerful toolset for developers, validators, and power users to interact with the Solana blockchain.

Beyond simple wallet and balance commands, it offers access to validator data, network health, block production, and configuration control.

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⚙️ Environment & Configuration

View Active Configuration

solana config get

Displays:

• RPC Endpoint

• WebSocket Endpoint

• Keypair Path

• Commitment Level

Set RPC Cluster

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

Common RPCs:

• Devnet: https://api.devnet.solana.com

• Testnet: https://api.testnet.solana.com

• Mainnet: https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com

Set Wallet Keypair

solana config set --keypair ~/.config/solana/id.json

Define which keypair the CLI should use to sign transactions.

Generate a New Wallet

solana-keygen new --outfile ~/.config/solana/new-wallet.json

🔐 Always back up your keypair safely and use hardware wallets for production.

View Wallet Address

solana-keygen pubkey

Prints the public key from the currently configured wallet.

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💰 Wallet & Airdrops

Airdrop SOL (Devnet/Testnet Only)

solana airdrop 2 <ADDRESS>

Send test tokens to a wallet. Omit <ADDRESS> to airdrop to current wallet.

Check Wallet Balance

solana balance

Returns the SOL balance for the configured wallet.

Transfer SOL

solana transfer <RECIPIENT_ADDRESS> <AMOUNT> --allow-unfunded-recipient --url https://api.devnet.solana.com

Add --fee-payer to specify another wallet that pays for transaction fees.

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🛰️ Blockchain Data Queries

View Account Data

solana account <ADDRESS>

Returns raw on-chain account information including:

• Lamports

• Owner Program

• Data length

View Recent Blockhash

solana block

Shows the latest blockhash for manual signing workflows.

Get Transaction Details

solana confirm <TRANSACTION_SIGNATURE>

Shows status, slot number, and confirmation level.

Fetch Recent Transactions (Historical RPC Support Required)

solana transaction-history <ADDRESS>

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🧭 Epoch, Slot, and Leader Info

Epoch Info

solana epoch-info

Displays current epoch, slot progress, and leader schedule.

Slot Info

solana slot

Outputs the current slot on the network.

Leader Schedule

solana leader-schedule

Lists current validator leader rotation schedule.

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📦 Stake & Validator Operations

List Validators

solana validators

Shows validator identity, vote accounts, commission, and more.

Stake Account Details

solana stake-account <STAKE_ACCOUNT_ADDRESS>

Returns staking status, delegated validator, and activation state.

Create Stake Account

solana-keygen new --outfile stake-keypair.json
solana create-stake-account stake-keypair.json <AMOUNT>

Delegate Stake

solana delegate-stake stake-keypair.json <VALIDATOR_VOTE_ADDRESS>

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🔎 Diagnostics & Debugging

Network Ping

solana ping <ADDRESS>

Tests connectivity and latency to the cluster.

Show CLI Version

solana --version

Compute Program Size & Fees

solana program dump <PROGRAM_ID> ./dump.so

Useful to analyze deployed BPF bytecode.

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📁 File System & Permissions

Recommended Wallet Location

~/.config/solana/id.json

Set strict file permissions:

chmod 600 ~/.config/solana/id.json

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🧠 Common Pitfalls & Solutions

Problem	Fix
RPC timeout or rate limit	Try switching to another public or private RPC
"Account not found" error	Create an associated token account or check funding
Wallet not recognized	Run solana config get and verify keypair path
Airdrop fails	Confirm you're on devnet/testnet and wallet exists

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🧾 Reference Command Summary

Action	Command
View config	solana config get
Change RPC	solana config set --url <RPC>
Set wallet	solana config set --keypair <KEYPAIR_PATH>
Generate wallet	solana-keygen new
Airdrop SOL	solana airdrop 2 <ADDRESS>
Check balance	solana balance
Transfer SOL	solana transfer <TO> <AMOUNT>
Check epoch info	solana epoch-info
Query transaction	solana confirm <TX_SIGNATURE>
List validators	solana validators

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For complete CLI docs and updates, visit the official Solana reference: https://docs.solana.com/cli