In this review, let’s cover the basics of Solana explorers, the most crucial specifications Solana blockchain explorer should demonstrate in 2024, and the core principles of their usage.
What is a Solana explorer?
Solana explorer (also Solana block explorer, Solana blockchain explorer) is an online platform that provides detailed insights into the Solana blockchain's operations, including transactions, accounts, and smart contracts.
It enables users to search and visualize blockchain activities, such as tracking transaction statuses, viewing account balances, and examining smart contracts' details. These explorers are vital for developers for debugging and monitoring applications in real-time, as well as for users and investors looking to verify transactions or monitor their assets. Solana explorer acts not unlike a blockchain browser: you can find the information about a transaction having only its hash, or check out the balance of this or that account knowing its public address.
By offering a transparent view into the blockchain's state, Solana Explorers facilitate a deeper understanding and accessibility of the network's data, contributing to the ecosystem's transparency and trustworthiness.
How to use Solana explorer?
To study the basics of Solana block explorer usage, let’s solve the easiest task for blockchain analysts.
- Checking the wallet by address. Let’s check the wallet of an unknown Solana whale who is active during bull runs. While the real identity of the owner is yet to be disclosed, this large account is among the most influential in the network. To observe his or her bags, let’s input the public address “3vxheE5C46XzK4XftziRhwAf8QAfipD7HXXWj25mgkom” into a random explorer; let’s start from SolanaFM.
Image by Solana FM
We can see that the whale has over $13 mln in SOL and Solana-based SPL tokens on his/her account.
- Checking the transaction by hash. Let’s briefly check the latest large transaction received or authorized by this account. We proceed to another explorer, for instance, SolScan, and input “3Px5LPZgFaDjjrfrCFDbUp8U4mZfs4Ty6JcDE1gT2fih6JTZwUqyUxraiEQwSWXob36dBWtNt4NN1vUmQCPugL9z” (public transaction hash) in search field.
Image by SolScan
As a result, we can see the sender and recipient of the transaction, its volume, confirmations details, date and time.
Image by SolScan
As such, in a few clicks, we can retrieve critical information from the blockchain with no previous coding experience. Solana blockchain explorers provide secure, free, and convenient on-chain analytical tooling.
How does Solana explorer work?
In general, Solana explorer works by interfacing with the Solana blockchain to fetch, organize, and display data in a user-friendly manner. It queries the blockchain's ledger, which records all transactions and states, through Solana's RPC (Remote Procedure Call) endpoints.
When a user inputs a transaction ID, account address, or block number, the explorer retrieves the relevant data from the blockchain and presents it in an easily interpretable format. This includes information on transactions, account balances, token details, and smart contract operations.
By doing so, it allows users to monitor network activity, verify transactions, and explore the blockchain's state without needing to interact directly with the underlying technical infrastructure, making the Solana network accessible and transparent to both technical and non-technical users alike.
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Criteria for the best Solana explorer
When looking for the best Solana explorer in 2024, Web3 enthusiasts and developers should consider the following five criteria:
- UX/UI specifications. The explorer should have a clean, intuitive interface that makes navigation and data interpretation easy for both technical and non-technical users. It should present information in a clear, organized manner, with features like search functionality, filters, and visual data representations.
- Data comprehensiveness. A top-notch Solana explorer should provide extensive details on transactions, accounts, tokens, and smart contracts. This includes the ability to view transaction histories, account balances, token distributions, and the internal workings of smart contracts.
- Speed and performance. The ability to monitor transactions and blockchain activity in real-time is crucial. The explorer should offer minimal latency in displaying data to ensure users are viewing the most current information.
- Additional analytical tools and features. Advanced features such as statistical analysis of network activity, growth trends, validator performance, and staking information add value for users looking to delve deeper into Solana's ecosystem.
- Security and reliability. The explorer should have a strong track record of uptime and reliability, ensuring that it's accessible when needed. Additionally, any personal data or interaction should be handled securely, adhering to best practices in privacy and data protection.
The best Solana explorer will excel in these areas, providing a comprehensive, user-friendly, and accurate tool for exploring and analyzing the Solana blockchain.
Best Solana Explorers
Now let’s review the best Solana blockchain explorers in 2024 for on-chain analytics, development, and forensics. Each Solana chain explorer in the list can be useful for customers with various levels of expertise in crypto.
Solana Explorer
Also referred to as the “official” Solana block explorer, Solana Explorer is the product of the original development team behind the Solana blockchain protocol. Solana explorer offers comprehensive tooling for Solana transactions analysis and displays the basic info about blocks, validators, and addresses.
While still in beta version, Solana explorer also demonstrates the statistics of network clusters and historic data about transactions processing. Solana wallet explorer mode allows everyone to check out his or her counterparty and prevent money from ending in wrong hands.
Solscan
Introduced by Singapore-based Block Solutions Pte. Ltd. Solscan is another tier 1 block explorer Solana customers can rely on. Besides basic explorer features, it demonstrates “dashboards” with Solana NFT explorer (historical data on digital collectibles), trading, Solana DeFis, and so on. Solscan automatically tracks AMMs and DEXes on Solana.
Besides TPS and average ping intervals, Solscan tracks trading pairs on Solana DEXes; as such, Solscan can be promoted as explorer for traders. The developers released mobile applications for iOS- and Android-powered smartphones.
SolanaFM
Released by the eponymous blockchain startup active since 2021, SolanaFM has the clearest and most well-designed interface among all mainstream Solana explorers.
Image by SolanaFM
SolanaFM has direct interaction with Jupiter DEX on Solana: everyone can connect Phantom wallet and exchange SOL-based tokens seamlessly. Also, it works with custom RPCs for mainnet and testnets. It is one of the most popular Solana devnet explorers: users can switch between the networks in the Solana RPC menu.
Solana Beach
Solana Beach explorer is the product of the eponymous ecosystem of products on the top of Solana blockchain. With its clear and intuitive UX/UI, Solana Beach quickly became the mainstream block explorer for analysts of Solana blockchain development.
Besides familiar functions of Solana transactions, blocks, validators tracking; it demonstrates basics of SOL staking and has feature-rich Solana explorer API for researchers and commercial dApps development.
OKLink
OKLink is a perfect example of Solana explorer integrated into a multi-blockchain tracking ecosystem. For customers of various blockchains, OKLink offers comprehensive solutions within a single interface.
Also, OKLink is integrated with native On-Chain AML module designed to prevent and combat illegal activities in various blockchains. OKLink Solana chain explorer is available in 10+ languages.
Best Solana Explorers in 2024: Summary
The time has come to summarize the information about most popular Solana explorers in 2024, its founders, and basic specifications.
| N | Name | Website | Chains | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solana Explorer | https://explorer.solana.com/ | Single-chain | “Official” Solana explorer |
| 2 | Solscan | https://solscan.io/ | Single-chain | Popular Solana explorer with basic features |
| 3 | SolanaFM | https://solana.fm/ | Single-chain | Powerful Solana block explorer with most eccentric interface |
| 4 | Solana Beach | https://solanabeach.io/ | Single-chain | Feature-rich well-designed Solana wallet explorer |
| 5 | OKLink | https://www.oklink.com/sol | Multi-chain | Multi-blockchain easy-to-use explorer with Solana support |
Solana blockchain customers can choose the explorer that fits their needs better, as displayed in the list above.
