Deploying Programs on Localnet
Learn how to deploy your Solana program on the localnet cluster.
Typically, you are supposed to write automated tests for your programs so that you can test them on the localnet with a client interface, but I’m saving tests for the next project.
Thus, you will deploy this program to localnet from the jump. Here are the steps you need to follow:
Step 1: Start the Local Validator
Start the local validator by running the command below:
solana-test-validatorThis launches the local cluster and prints logs to your terminal. Leave this running in a separate terminal window or tab.
Step 2: Configure Cargo.toml for BPF Compilation
Before building your program, make sure your Cargo.toml includes the proper crate type for Solana:
[lib]
crate-type = ["cdylib", "lib"]This tells Cargo to compile your program both as a dynamic library (cdylib), which Solana requires for deployment, and as a regular Rust library (lib), which is useful for local development and testing.
Step 3: Build the Program
Compile your Solana program into a BPF-compatible shared object:
cargo build-sbfThis command generates a .so binary in the target/deploy/ directory. This file is what you will deploy to the local cluster.
Step 4: Deploy the Program
Use the CLI to deploy your compiled program:
solana program deploy ./target/deploy/<program_name>.soReplace <program_name> with the “counter”.
The CLI will output a Program ID (a public key) that uniquely identifies your program on the cluster.
Step 5: Confirm Deployment
To verify that your program has been deployed successfully, run:
solana program show <PROGRAM_ID>This displays details like the program's account balance and status on the local cluster.
At this point, your Solana program is live on Localnet. You can now interact with it using a client, simulate real-world usage, and debug freely before deploying to Devnet or Mainnet.
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