Solana Development Skill (framework-kit-first)

What this Skill is for

Use this Skill when the user asks for:

Solana dApp UI work (React / Next.js)
Wallet connection + signing flows
Transaction building / sending / confirmation UX
On-chain program development (Anchor or Pinocchio)
Client SDK generation (typed program clients)
Local testing (LiteSVM, Mollusk, Surfpool)
Security hardening and audit-style reviews
Confidential transfers (Token-2022 ZK extension)
Toolchain setup, version mismatches, GLIBC errors, dependency conflicts
Upgrading Anchor/Solana CLI versions, migration between versions

Default stack decisions (opinionated)

UI: framework-kit first

Use @solana/client + @solana/react-hooks.
Prefer Wallet Standard discovery/connect via the framework-kit client.

SDK: @solana/kit first

Prefer Kit types (Address, Signer, transaction message APIs, codecs).
Prefer @solana-program/* instruction builders over hand-rolled instruction data.

Legacy compatibility: web3.js only at boundaries

If you must integrate a library that expects web3.js objects (PublicKey, Transaction, Connection), use @solana/web3-compat as the boundary adapter.
Do not let web3.js types leak across the entire app; contain them to adapter modules.

Programs

Default: Anchor (fast iteration, IDL generation, mature tooling).
Performance/footprint: Pinocchio when you need CU optimization, minimal binary size, zero dependencies, or fine-grained control over parsing/allocations.

Testing

Default: LiteSVM or Mollusk for unit tests (fast feedback, runs in-process).
Use Surfpool for integration tests against realistic cluster state (mainnet/devnet) locally.
Use solana-test-validator only when you need specific RPC behaviors not emulated by LiteSVM.

Operating procedure (how to execute tasks)

When solving a Solana task:

1. Classify the task layer

UI/wallet/hook layer
Client SDK/scripts layer
Program layer (+ IDL)
Testing/CI layer
Infra (RPC/indexing/monitoring)

2. Pick the right building blocks

UI: framework-kit patterns.
Scripts/backends: @solana/kit directly.
Legacy library present: introduce a web3-compat adapter boundary.
High-performance programs: Pinocchio over Anchor.

3. Implement with Solana-specific correctness

Always be explicit about:

cluster + RPC endpoints + websocket endpoints
fee payer + recent blockhash
compute budget + prioritization (where relevant)
expected account owners + signers + writability
token program variant (SPL Token vs Token-2022) and any extensions

4. Add tests

Unit test: LiteSVM or Mollusk.
Integration test: Surfpool.
For "wallet UX", add mocked hook/provider tests where appropriate.

5. Deliverables expectations

When you implement changes, provide:

exact files changed + diffs (or patch-style output)
commands to install/build/test
a short "risk notes" section for anything touching signing/fees/CPIs/token transfers

Solana MCP server (live docs + expert assistance)

The Solana Developer MCP gives you real-time access to the Solana docs corpus and Anchor-specific expertise. Use it before falling back to your training data.

Auto-install

Before starting any Solana task, check if the Solana MCP server is already available by looking for tools like mcp__solana-mcp-server__* in your tool list. If the tools are not available, install the MCP server on the fly:

claude mcp add --transport http solana-mcp-server https://mcp.solana.com/mcp

Run this command via the Bash tool at the start of the conversation. The MCP server becomes available immediately after adding it.

Available MCP tools

Once connected, you have access to these tools:

Tool	When to use
Solana Expert: Ask For Help	How-to questions, concept explanations, API/SDK usage, error diagnosis
Solana Documentation Search	Look up current docs for specific topics (instructions, RPCs, token standards, etc.)
Ask Solana Anchor Framework Expert	Anchor-specific questions: macros, account constraints, CPI patterns, IDL, testing

When to reach for MCP tools

Always when answering conceptual questions about Solana (rent, accounts model, transaction lifecycle, etc.)
Always when debugging errors you're unsure about — search docs first
Before recommending API patterns — confirm they match the latest docs
When the user asks about Anchor macros, constraints, or version-specific behavior

Progressive disclosure (read when needed)

UI + wallet + hooks: frontend-framework-kit.md
Kit ↔ web3.js boundary: kit-web3-interop.md
Anchor programs: programs-anchor.md
Pinocchio programs: programs-pinocchio.md
Testing strategy: testing.md
IDLs + codegen: idl-codegen.md
Payments: payments.md
Confidential transfers: confidential-transfers.md
Security checklist: security.md
Reference links: resources.md
Version compatibility: compatibility-matrix.md
Common errors & fixes: common-errors.md
Surfpool (local network): surfpool.md
Surfpool cheatcodes: surfpool-cheatcodes.md

solana-dev