Firedancer
Firedancer is a high-performance, secure Solana validator client built from scratch to enhance network resilience and speed.
Overview
Firedancer is a validator client for the Solana blockchain developed by Jump Crypto. It is designed from the ground up to deliver high performance and security by leveraging concurrency models inspired by low latency trading systems. The client reimplements core Solana primitives with novel, high-performance techniques to optimize speed and efficiency. Its architecture supports running within a highly restrictive sandbox environment with minimal system calls, enhancing security and reducing attack surfaces.
Unlike other Solana validators, Firedancer is written entirely from scratch, which increases client diversity on the Solana network. This diversity helps protect the network against supply chain attacks that could arise from shared build tooling or dependencies. The project currently offers two validators: Firedancer, a full from-scratch implementation still under development, and Frankendancer, a hybrid validator combining Firedancer's networking and block production with Agave's execution and consensus code. Frankendancer is available on Solana's testnet and mainnet-beta, while Firedancer itself is not yet production-ready.
Firedancer targets infrastructure developers and node operators who want to run a fast, secure, and independent Solana validator. It currently supports Linux systems with kernel version 4.18 or newer. Developers can get started by cloning the GitHub repository, installing dependencies, and running the provided development commands to launch a local validator cluster. Comprehensive documentation and guides are available to assist with setup, configuration, and releases. The project is open source under the Apache 2.0 license.
The Problem
Solana's validator ecosystem lacks client diversity, which can expose the network to supply chain risks and reduce resilience. Existing validators may not fully optimize for performance or security in a highly concurrent environment.
The Solution
Key Features
Frankendancer Hybrid Validator
Combines Firedancer's networking and block production with Agave's execution and consensus for improved performance on mainnet.
Local Development Cluster
Includes tools to create a local Solana cluster for testing and development with automated setup.
Open Source with Apache 2.0 License
Fully open source, allowing community contributions and transparency.
Key Strengths
How Developers Use Firedancer
Running a High-Performance Solana Validator
Infrastructure developers deploy Firedancer or Frankendancer validators to improve network throughput and security.
Validator Client Diversity for Network Resilience
Node operators use Firedancer to diversify the Solana validator ecosystem, reducing systemic risks from shared dependencies.
Local Solana Cluster Development and Testing
Developers use Firedancer's dev tools to spin up local clusters for testing new Solana programs and validator configurations.
Works Well WithSolana
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Pricing
Open Source | |
|---|---|
| Price (Monthly) | Free |
| Price (Annual) | Free |
| Messaging | N/A |
| Support | Community support via GitHub |
| Analytics |
Resources
Firedancer provides comprehensive documentation including a getting started guide, API references, and release notes to help developers and node operators deploy and maintain the validator client.