Overview

Overview to compressed tokens and guides with full code examples. Use for token distribution or storage of inactive token accounts.

Creation	Solana	Compressed
Token Account	~2,000,000 lamports	5,000 lamports

1. Compressed token accounts store token balance, owner, and other information of tokens like SPL and light-tokens.
2. Compressed token accounts are rent-free.
3. Any light-token or SPL token can be compressed/decompressed at will.
   Wallets like Phantom and Backpack support compressed tokens. The UI does not distinguish between SPL and compressed tokens.

Recommended Usage of Compressed Tokens

Token Distribution

Distribute tokens without paying upfront rent per recipient.

Create an Airdrop

Storage of Inactive Token Accounts

Most (associated) token accounts are not frequently written to. Store token accounts rent-free when inactive. Light tokens are automatically compressed/decompressed when active/inactive and include sponsored rent-exemption.

Learn about Light Token

Get Started

Installation & Setup

1. Install dependencies

   npm

   npm install @lightprotocol/stateless.js@alpha \
               @lightprotocol/compressed-token@alpha
   

   yarn

   yarn add @lightprotocol/stateless.js@alpha \
            @lightprotocol/compressed-token@alpha
   

   pnpm

   pnpm add @lightprotocol/stateless.js@alpha \
            @lightprotocol/compressed-token@alpha
   
2. Set up your developer environment

   Localnet

   By default, all guides use Localnet.

   npm

   npm install -g @lightprotocol/zk-compression-cli@alpha
   

   yarn

   yarn global add @lightprotocol/zk-compression-cli@alpha
   

   pnpm

   pnpm add -g @lightprotocol/zk-compression-cli@alpha
   

   # Start a local test validator
   light test-validator
   
   ## ensure you have the Solana CLI accessible in your system PATH
   

   // createRpc() defaults to local test validator endpoints
   import {
     Rpc,
     createRpc,
   } from "@lightprotocol/stateless.js";
   
   const connection: Rpc = createRpc();
   
   async function main() {
     let slot = await connection.getSlot();
     console.log(slot);
   
     let health = await connection.getIndexerHealth(slot);
     console.log(health);
     // "Ok"
   }
   
   main();
   

   Devnet

   Replace <your-api-key> with your actual API key. Get your API key here, if you don’t have one yet.

   import { createRpc } from "@lightprotocol/stateless.js";
   
   // Helius exposes Solana and Photon RPC endpoints through a single URL
   const RPC_ENDPOINT = "https://devnet.helius-rpc.com?api-key=<your_api_key>";
   const connection = createRpc(RPC_ENDPOINT, RPC_ENDPOINT, RPC_ENDPOINT);
   
   console.log("Connection created!");
   console.log("RPC Endpoint:", RPC_ENDPOINT);
   

1. Basic Guides

   Guide	Description
   Create Compressed Token Accounts	Create compressed and learn difference to regular token accounts
   Mint Compressed Tokens	Create new compressed tokens to existing mint
   Transfer Compressed Tokens	Move compressed tokens between compressed accounts
   Decompress and Compress Tokens	Convert SPL tokens between regular and compressed format
   Compress Complete SPL Token Accounts	Compress complete SPL token accounts and reclaim rent afterwards
   Create a Mint with Token Pool for Compression	Create new SPL mint with token pool for compression
   Create Token Pools for Mint Accounts	Create token pool for compression for existing SPL mints
   Merge Compressed Accounts	Consolidate multiple compressed accounts of the same mint into one
   Approve and Revoke Delegate Authority	Approve or revoke delegates for compressed token accounts

2. Advanced Guides

   Guide	Description
   Combine Instructions in One Transaction	Execute multiple token instructions within a single transaction
   Create an Airdrop without Claim	Create an airdrop that appears directly in recipients’ wallets (with or without code)
   Example Airdrop with Claim	Demo for time-locked airdrop with compressed tokens
   Add Wallet Support for Compressed Tokens	Add compressed token support in your wallet application
   Use Token-2022 with Compression	Create compressed Token-2022 mints with metadata and other extensions
   Example Web Client	Demonstrates how to use @lightprotocol/stateless.js in a browser environment to interact with ZK Compression
   Example Node.js Client	Script to execute basic compression/decompression/transfers