Recently, the Solana network has grappled with congestion, resulting in noticeable delays in transaction processing and a significant number of dropped transactions. Users of the widely used Phantom wallet app and other applications on Solana have alerted users to the congestion, advising them to anticipate longer wait times for their transactions to finalize.
The congestion plaguing the network is primarily attributed to an influx of spam transactions, where bots seek to prioritize their activities over those of regular users. This problem is compounded by a substantial surge in transactions linked to newly released memecoins, creating an unprecedented demand for the network’s block space and hindering access for many users.
During the first quarter of 2024, the Solana blockchain witnessed a substantial increase in memecoin activity, with a record number of new tokens debuting on Solana DEXs during this period. This surge in activity, largely centered around meme coins, highlights the growing interest in Solana among new and retail users, drawn by the network’s low transaction fees. However, the influx of spam transactions has emerged as a bottleneck for the network.
Matt Sorg, a technology and product leader at the Solana Foundation, drew parallels between Solana’s architecture and the infrastructure of the internet. In Solana’s setup, individual validators process transactions without relying on a mempool, akin to how IP endpoints and servers function on the internet.
Strategies for Alleviating Congestion
Facing these challenges head-on, the Solana development team is crafting innovative solutions, with software patches already in progress, though they will require some time, as co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko explains. “The Solana network is undergoing rigorous testing once more with a significant surge in traffic. Bug fixes will be rolled out over the next week, leading to improvements,” adds Austin Federa, strategy lead at Solana Foundation.
This current congestion may extend to the network’s infrastructure, affecting users’ interactions with the blockchain. To address this, Anza, developer of one of Solana’s Agave validator clients, will implement fixes targeting specific issues related to its QUIC implementation. These updates are expected to enhance the client’s performance, particularly in scenarios with high request volumes.
Another crucial advancement is the planned release of the 1.18 update slated for April. This update will introduce enhancements to make transaction scheduling more deterministic, aiming to streamline processing and alleviate bottlenecks.
Additionally, implementing priority fees is essential. Many applications on Solana currently do not utilize priority fees, resulting in delayed or unprocessed transactions. Integrating dynamic priority fees into dApps will help improve user experience, as stated in a March blog post from Solana Labs.
Get free access to our lifetime VIP membership. Join us here.
Leave a Reply