Test Validator
During early stage development, it is often convenient to target a cluster with
fewer restrictions and more configuration options than the public offerings
provide. This is easily achieved with the solana-test-validator binary, which
starts a full-featured, single-node cluster on the developer's workstation.
Advantages#
- No RPC rate-limits
- No airdrop limits
- Direct on-chain program deployment
(
--bpf-program ...) - Clone accounts from a public cluster, including programs (
--clone ...) - Load accounts from files
- Configurable transaction history retention (
--limit-ledger-size ...) - Configurable epoch length (
--slots-per-epoch ...) - Jump to an arbitrary slot (
--warp-slot ...)
Installation#
The solana-test-validator binary ships with the Renec CLI Tool Suite.
Install before continuing.
Running#
First take a look at the configuration options
Next start the test validator
By default, basic status information is printed while the process is running. See Appendix I for details
Leave solana-test-validator running in its own terminal. When it is no longer
needed, it can be stopped with ctrl-c.
Interacting#
Open a new terminal to interact with a running solana-test-validator
instance using other binaries from the Renec CLI Tool Suite or your own client
software.
Configure the CLI Tool Suite to target a local cluster by default#
Verify the CLI Tool Suite configuration#
- NOTE: The result should match the
Genesis Hash:field in thesolana-test-validatorstatus output
Check the wallet balance#
NOTE:
Error: No such file or directory (os error 2)means that the default wallet does not yet exist. Create it withrenec-keygen new.NOTE: If the wallet has a zero RENEC balance, airdrop some localnet RENEC with
renec airdrop 10
Perform a basic transfer transaction#
Monitor msg!() output from on-chain programs#
- NOTE: This command needs to be running when the target transaction is executed. Run it in its own terminal
Appendix I: Status Output#
- File path of the ledger storage directory. This directory can get large. Store
less transaction history with
--limit-ledger-size ...or relocate it with--ledger ...
- File path of the validator text log file. The log can also be streamed by
passing
--log. Status output is suppressed in this case.
- The validator's identity in the gossip network
- The software version
- The network address of the Gossip, Transaction Processing Unit and JSON RPC service, respectively
- Session running time, current slot of the the three block commitment levels, slot height of the last snapshot, transaction count, voting authority balance
Appendix II: Runtime Features#
By default, the test validator runs with all runtime features activated.
You can verify this using the Renec command-line tools:
Since this may not always be desired, especially when testing programs meant for deployment to mainnet, the CLI provides an option to deactivate specific features: