Solana-web3.js Tutorial – Learn In Just 7 Minutes

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Welcome to this fast-paced, hands-on guide to Solana-web3.js, the essential JavaScript library for building on the Solana blockchain. Whether you're new to Solana development or brushing up on core interactions, this tutorial delivers practical insights in under 10 minutes.

We'll walk through three foundational operations:

All code examples are designed for clarity and immediate use. By the end, you’ll have a working script that performs real blockchain actions using @solana/web3.js and @solana/spl-token.

Getting Started with Solana-web3.js

Before diving into transactions and token creation, ensure your environment is ready.

Import Required Libraries

Start by installing the necessary packages:

npm install @solana/web3.js @solana/spl-token bs58

Then import them in your script:

const solanaWeb3 = require('@solana/web3.js');
const splToken = require('@solana/spl-token');
const bs58 = require('bs58');

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Setting Up Your Environment

Create the Main Async Function

JavaScript’s async/await pattern is ideal for blockchain interactions due to their asynchronous nature.

async function main() {
  // All logic will go here
}
main();

Connect to the Solana Network

You need an RPC endpoint to communicate with the blockchain. For reliability and high performance, consider using a dedicated infrastructure provider.

const connection = new solanaWeb3.Connection(
  "https://nd-729-020-604.p2pify.com/89254f3e5bf61205d9558141245b8a80",
  {
    wsEndpoint: "wss://ws-nd-729-020-604.p2pify.com/89254f3e5bf61205d9558141245b8a80"
  }
);

This connects to a public or hosted node. Replace it with your own secure endpoint when deploying.

Load Your Wallet

Use a private key from environment variables for security:

const walletKeyPair = solanaWeb3.Keypair.fromSecretKey(
  new Uint8Array(bs58.decode(process.env.PRIVATE_KEY))
);

Ensure your .env file contains the Base58-decoded private key.

Check Wallet Balance

Verify funds before proceeding:

const balance = await connection.getBalance(walletKeyPair.publicKey);
console.log(`Balance: ${balance / solanaWeb3.LAMPORTS_PER_SOL} SOL`);

Lamports are the smallest unit of SOL (1 SOL = 1,000,000,000 lamports).

1. Minting an SPL Token

SPL tokens are Solana’s equivalent of ERC-20 tokens on Ethereum.

Create the Mint

const mint = await splToken.createMint(
  connection,
  walletKeyPair,
  walletKeyPair.publicKey,
  null,
  9
);

Parameters:

Generate Associated Token Account

Tokens require a token account to be held:

const tokenAccount = await splToken.getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount(
  connection,
  walletKeyPair,
  mint,
  walletKeyPair.publicKey
);

This creates a unique account tied to your wallet for holding this specific token.

Mint Tokens

Now issue tokens into circulation:

await splToken.mintTo(
  connection,
  walletKeyPair,
  mint,
  tokenAccount.address,
  walletKeyPair.publicKey,
  1000000000 // e.g., 1 billion tokens (adjust based on decimals)
);

After running this, your wallet will hold the newly minted SPL tokens.

2. Sending a SOL Transaction

Transfer native SOL between accounts.

Generate a Recipient Wallet

For testing, generate a new keypair:

const secondWalletKeyPair = solanaWeb3.Keypair.generate();
console.log("Recipient public key:", secondWalletKeyPair.publicKey.toBase58());

Build and Send the Transaction

const transaction = new solanaWeb3.Transaction().add(
  solanaWeb3.SystemProgram.transfer({
    fromPubkey: walletKeyPair.publicKey,
    toPubkey: secondWalletKeyPair.publicKey,
    lamports: solanaWeb3.LAMPORTS_PER_SOL * 0.001 // Send 0.001 SOL
  })
);

const signature = await solanaWeb3.sendAndConfirmTransaction(
  connection,
  transaction,
  [walletKeyPair]
);

console.log("Transaction successful with signature:", signature);

This sends a small amount of SOL and confirms the transaction on-chain.

3. Delegating SOL (Staking)

Stake SOL to earn rewards by delegating to a validator.

Create a Stake Account

Each delegation requires a separate stake account:

const stakeAccount = solanaWeb3.Keypair.generate();

const createStakeAccountInstruction = solanaWeb3.StakeProgram.createAccount({
  fromPubkey: walletKeyPair.publicKey,
  stakePubkey: stakeAccount.publicKey,
  authorized: new solanaWeb3.Authorized(walletKeyPair.publicKey, walletKeyPair.publicKey),
  lamports: solanaWeb3.LAMPORTS_PER_SOL * 0.02 // Stake 0.02 SOL
});

Submit Stake Account Creation

const createStakeAccountTransaction = new solanaWeb3.Transaction().add(createStakeAccountInstruction);
createStakeAccountTransaction.recentBlockhash = (await connection.getRecentBlockhash()).blockhash;
createStakeAccountTransaction.feePayer = walletKeyPair.publicKey;
createStakeAccountTransaction.partialSign(stakeAccount);

await solanaWeb3.sendAndConfirmTransaction(
  connection,
  createStakeAccountTransaction,
  [walletKeyPair, stakeAccount]
);

Note: The stake account must sign partially since it's being created.

Delegate to a Validator

Replace {input the public key here} with a real validator’s public key:

const votePubkey = new solanaWeb3.PublicKey('ValidatorPublicKeyGoesHere');

const delegateInstruction = solanaWeb3.StakeProgram.delegate({
  stakePubkey: stakeAccount.publicKey,
  authorizedPubkey: walletKeyPair.publicKey,
  votePubkey
});

const delegateTransaction = new solanaWeb3.Transaction().add(delegateInstruction);
delegateTransaction.recentBlockhash = (await connection.getRecentBlockhash()).blockhash;
delegateTransaction.feePayer = walletKeyPair.publicKey;
delegateTransaction.sign(walletKeyPair);

await solanaWeb3.sendAndConfirmTransaction(
  connection,
  delegateTransaction,
  [walletKeyPair]
);

You’ve now successfully staked SOL!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is solana-web3.js used for?
A: It’s the primary JavaScript SDK for interacting with the Solana blockchain—used for sending transactions, querying data, managing accounts, and building dApps.

Q: Can I mint tokens without paying fees?
A: No. Minting requires SOL to cover transaction and account creation fees (e.g., rent-exempt balance for token accounts).

Q: Is it safe to use process.env.PRIVATE_KEY?
A: Yes, as long as .env files are git-ignored and never exposed publicly. Never hardcode private keys in source files.

Q: How do I find a validator’s public key to delegate to?
A: Use Solana explorers like Solana.fm or CLI commands like solana validators to view active validators and their keys.

Q: What happens if I lose my stake account keypair?
A: You may lose control over your staked funds. Always back up keypairs securely.

Q: Can I undo a delegation?
A: Yes—via deactivation (not covered here), which starts an unstaking process taking several epochs.

Core Keywords

These keywords naturally appear throughout this guide to enhance SEO while maintaining readability and technical accuracy.

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With these fundamentals mastered, you're well-equipped to build powerful applications on Solana. Continue exploring advanced topics like token swaps, program deployment, and on-chain data analysis to level up your skills.