Solana is a synonym to scalability and speed when it comes to blockchains.

The aim to accomplish their goal by employing architectural design choices which focus on faster transaction settlement speeds while maintaining very flexible infrastructure capabilities.

Solana’s features, like many others, comprise of smart contracts, transaction settlements and token issuing but if differs from its competitors by offering higher transactional capacity and high settlement speeds.

Solana Explained

Since Solana prioritizes scalability, its network is designed to operate on the following components:

1. Proof-of-History: which is a global clock that creates a common operating schedule for all participants

2. Gulf Stream: which defines exactly when and how transactions are exchanged

3. Sealevel: which is a processing engine that is responsible for assigning both the order and the execution of transactions

4. Turbine: which defines transactions are validated by nodes and how they send and receive blocks

5. Cloudbreak: which is a memory protocol that keeps track of user’s balances

6. Pipeline: which is responsible for verifying each individual component of a transaction

7. Archivers: which is a network composed of nodes that store data that validators off-load in perpetuity

These components work in unison as to optimize transactions and without sharding Solana’s chain, meaning there is no need for another layer of network.

Solana’s Consensus Mechanism

In order to keep its blockchain secure, Solana created the Tower BFT, a delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS) mechanism.

Any user with SOL tokens can help towards operating the network and the DPoS uses a both a voting and a reputation system to validate transactions, distribute new SOL, and secure the network.

“Staking” tokens as to participate in governance is possible and will increase the chances of being the one chosen as the next block producer. Delegating SOL to other validators is also possible, as is allocating votes in order to earn a fraction of their rewards.

The History Behind Solana

Solana is the vision of Anatoly Yakovenko. Solana Labs are responsible for guiding the Solana blockchain, while the Solana Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit organization, funds development and works towards growth.