Build for Solana

CodeNut supports building and deploying Solana programs (smart contracts) and dApps. This guide highlights the key differences from EVM development.

Quick Differences: Solana vs EVM

Aspect	EVM	Solana
Smart Contracts	Solidity contracts	Rust programs (via Anchor)
Interface Definition	ABI (JSON)	IDL (JSON)
Deployment	Direct from wallet	Via deployment wallet + program loader
Faucet	Built-in testnet faucet	External Solana Faucet
Networks	Multiple chains (Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, etc.)	Devnet, Testnet, Mainnet

1. Getting Started

Wallet Connection

CodeNut provides a unified wallet experience through Reown AppKit (formerly WalletConnect). The platform automatically detects whether you're connecting an EVM or Solana wallet.

Supported Solana Wallets:

Phantom
Solflare
Backpack
And other Solana-compatible wallets

Authentication uses SIWS (Sign-In with Solana), similar to SIWE for Ethereum.

Getting Test SOL

Unlike EVM where CodeNut provides an internal faucet, for Solana DevNet Gas (SOLs), please use the official Solana Faucet:

Navigate to Contract Status → DevNet Faucet
Click the Solana Faucet button to open faucet.solana.com
Request SOL for your wallet address on devnet

2. Building dApp for Solana

Building programs (smart contracts)

When requested to build apps for solana. CodeNut's AI agent will normally start with the smart contract (programs) first, where the agent:

Initializes a proper project structure for Solana
Writes program code in Rust (contracts/programs/my-program/src/lib.rs)
Generates comprehensive tests
Runs tests to validate functionality
Provides deployment instructions

After the program is generated and deployed to the Solana DevNet, the CodeNut agent will start building frontend for the app. Here the agent will have full knowledge of the smart contracts (programs) and the UI code will be built, including:

Choose correct component (like wallet) for Solana ecosystem
Add proper interaction with the on-chain program
Create other frontend logic needed for the app

3. Deployment Process

Understanding Solana Deployment

Solana deployment differs significantly from EVM:

Deployment Wallet: An ephemeral keypair is created in your browser to handle the deployment process
Funding: You transfer SOL from your main wallet to the deployment wallet
Program Upload: The program is uploaded in chunks to Solana using the BPF Upgradeable Loader
Authority Transfer: Program authority is set back to your main wallet

Step-by-Step Deployment

Connect Your Solana Wallet

Ensure you have sufficient SOL for deployment (~0.5-3 SOL depending on program size)

Start the deployment

Publish Dialog

Select the target network (Testnet or Mainnet) and click the Deploy button in the Publish Dialog
On the next screen, you will have a summary for the deployment including the deployment wallet address and the estimated gas fee.
Click Continue

Generate Deployment Wallet

If you have not generated a deployment wallet before, a new deployment wallet will be generated for you. Otherwise the existing deployment wallet will be used.
Click "Continue" to create the wallet
When the wallet is created the first time, you need to download and save the keypair.json file (so you can import it to your wallet app and maintain full control of the wallet)
Click "Continue" again (after you downloaded the keypair file) to start the deployment process

The deployment wallet is only used for the deployment process. It is created and stored only in your local device (in browser). CodeNut does not store any information of the wallet. You need to save the kaypair info to maintain full control of the wallet.

Fund Deployment Wallet

During the deployment process you will be notified to sign a transaction to fund the deployment wallet.

Deploy Program

The system handles the 5-step deployment process:

Transfer funds to deployment wallet
Create buffer account
Upload program data in chunks
Set program authority to your wallet
Finalize deployment

You will be prompted one more time to sign a transaction to finalize the deployment.

View Results

After a successful deployment, you can find the following information in the Publish/Deployment dialog,

Program ID and transaction hash displayed
Link to open the deployed program address in Solscan explorer

4. Network Configuration

Available Networks

Network	Purpose	RPC Endpoint
Devnet	Development & testing	`https://api.devnet.solana.com`
Testnet	Pre-production testing	`https://api.testnet.solana.com`
Mainnet-Beta	Production	`https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com`

Network Selection

Network selection happens during deployment. Once deployed, your program ID remains constant for that network.

5. Resources

Anchor Documentation: anchor-lang.com
Solana Cookbook: solanacookbook.com
Solana Explorer: solscan.io
Solana Faucet: faucet.solana.com

Next Steps

Connect your Solana wallet
Request the AI to build a Solana program
Fund your wallet with devnet SOL from the faucet
Deploy to devnet and test
Deploy to mainnet when ready