Why develop in Solana?
Tags: solana, anchor, dapp, ethereum
Published: 2023-03-12 11:15:32

Solana has recently gained a lot of attention in the blockchain community thanks to its fast transaction speeds and low fees. However, like any technology, it has its pros and cons. In this post, we'll take a closer look at the benefits and drawbacks of Solana.

**Pros:**

- <u>Fast transaction speeds</u>: Solana has a processing capacity of up to 65,000 transactions per second, making it one of the fastest blockchain networks available. This means transactions on other blockchain networks can be confirmed in seconds compared to minutes or hours.
- <u>Low fees</u>: Solana's low fees make it an attractive option for users who want to send or receive small amounts of cryptocurrency without paying high transaction fees. The network also offers a fee-burning mechanism to prevent spam and keep fees low.
- <u>Scalability</u>: Solana's architecture is designed to be highly scalable, meaning it can handle a large volume of transactions without compromising speed or security. This makes it an excellent option for decentralized applications (dApps) that require high throughput.
- <u>Energy efficiency</u>: Unlike other proof-of-work blockchain networks, Solana uses a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.

**Cons:**

- <u>Centralization concerns</u>: Solana's consensus mechanism is based on a small group of validators, which some critics argue makes the network more centralized than other blockchain networks. This could pose a risk to the network's security and decentralization.
- <u>Limited adoption</u>: While Solana has gained much attention in the blockchain community, it still has relatively limited adoption compared to other blockchain networks like Ethereum or Bitcoin. This could make it more difficult for developers to find the resources to build dApps on the network.
- <u>Complexity</u>: Solana's architecture is complex and challenging for developers to navigate. This could limit the pool of developers who can build on the network.

## So... Why would you develop in Solana?

When building decentralized applications (dApps), Ethereum has long been the go-to platform for developers. However, in recent years, new blockchain networks like Solana have emerged as viable alternatives to Ethereum. In this post, we'll examine why someone might choose to develop in Solana rather than in Ethereum.

Scalability: One of the biggest challenges facing Ethereum is scalability. The network can handle only a limited number of transactions per second, resulting in slow confirmation times and high transaction fees during times of high network activity. Solana, on the other hand, has been designed from the ground up to be highly scalable, with the ability to process up to more than 5000 transactions per second. This makes it an excellent option for developers building dApps requiring high throughput.

Low fees: Another advantage of Solana over Ethereum is its low transaction fees. Ethereum's fees can be notoriously high during times of network congestion, making it difficult for developers to build dApps that are affordable for users. Solana's fees, on the other hand, are much lower, thanks to its fee-burning mechanism that helps to prevent spam and keep fees low.

Developer-friendly tools: Solana has a range of developer-friendly tools that make it easy for developers to build dApps on the network. These tools include the Solana Web3.js library, which makes interacting with the Solana blockchain easy, and the **Anchor framework**, which provides a user-friendly interface for building and deploying dApps.

Ecosystem support: While Ethereum has a large and established ecosystem, Solana is rapidly growing and gaining support from developers and investors alike. The network has several high-profile partnerships and investments from top VCs, a sign of the ecosystem's growth and potential.

Energy efficiency: Solana's energy-efficient proof-of-stake consensus mechanism is a more environmentally friendly alternative to Ethereum's energy-intensive proof-of-work mechanism. As concerns around climate change continue to grow, many developers are looking for more sustainable options for building dApps, and Solana's energy efficiency could be a key selling point.

Last but not least, Solana has a great community of builders that will help you if you have any questions or are stuck with some problem, jump into discord, and you will notice how coders in Solana are helpful.

Thank you for reading this post; I will do a series to explain Solana programming concepts. Stay tuned!