TL;DR (SUMMARY)

SolScan is an alternative scanner for the Solana blockchain. Gives you access to blockchain data related to transactions, contracts, accounts and more. If you use Solana often or do some troubleshooting, understanding how to use a blockchain explorer is extremely helpful.

SolScan also has DeFi and NFT dashboards, as well as an analytics platform to browse. You can also use their API to create custom fonts for yourself. All of this is at the top of the website.


Introduction

Solana is a Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchain where project developers can create DApps, tokens, and smart contracts. As with any other active chain, users need an intuitive way to access blockchain data. Like BscScan and EtherScan, Solana has a specialized block explorer called SolScan. Let's review its most important features and some basic tutorials.



What is SolScan?

SolScan is a blockchain explorer used to search for information on the Solana blockchain. This is a popular alternative to the official Solana Explorer. SolScan converts complex transaction data into something that can be easily read. The block explorer provides access to all on-chain records, including cryptocurrency transactions, addresses, smart contracts, blocks, tokens, and more. It's free to use and doesn't require an account, but you can create one and log in for enhanced functionality.


Why should you use SolScan?

Using a blockchain explorer is essential for anyone who transacts on a network. If you're not sure where your staked funds are or, for example, a transaction is still pending, you can use SolScan to find out what happened. All SolScan data comes directly from the Solana blockchain, so you can be sure it's accurate. Using SolScan or any blockchain explorer will help you understand the mechanics of the DApps you interact with and the transactions you make.

SolScan uses the same format as EtherScan, making it easier to understand. Many users prefer its design to that of the official Solana browser. It is completely free to use and contains various useful tools, lists and analysis graphs. The scanner also contains a set of public APIs that can leverage SolScan real-time data for third-party custom applications and tools.


How to search transactions and addresses in SolScan?

One of the most used features of SolScan is the transaction and address search function. With the right hash, you can quickly access a large amount of information. This includes transaction fees, confirmations, timesheets, addresses involved, and much more.

Transactions

1. Every Solana transaction is recorded on the Solana mainnet with a signature. It is a long series of numbers and letters that looks like this:

5JLcGJQfZjEEuh1bSDqyw2iEfLuFRoYRJY1paoSwrZC8c8zZFW3VqvxsJgjW3bsUjTrpEUDEtvs83PxsuR6hUWqz

2. Copy and paste the signature into the SolScan search bar and press Enter.


3. Next, you will see all the information available about the transaction you are looking for. This is divided into three categories: [Summary], [SOL Balance Change] and [Token Balance Change].


4. The [Summary] category presents most of the details you need. Let's review the list:

Business

An alphanumeric series uniquely assigned to each transaction. This is an identifier similar to the Ethereum transaction hash or TxID.

Block

The block number in which your transaction was processed. These numbers are sequential and indicate the location of your transaction in the history of the blockchain.

Recording hours

The timestamp associated with the block in which your transaction was processed.

Result

The confirmation status of the transaction.

Signatory

The address of the wallet that initiated the transaction.

Commission

The commission paid for the transaction.

Main actions

A summary of the activities associated with the transaction.

Previous block hash

The alphanumeric hash that identifies the previous block.

Instruction details

A detailed record of the actions of the transaction.

Program registration

A detailed record of the results of instructions/actions.


5. For more information, the [SOL Balance Change] and [Token Balance Change] tabs provide data on transaction token balance changes for all parties involved.

Addresses

A similar method can be used to obtain more information about an individual address. You can consult a detailed history of the management's activities. This can give you a summary of transactions and smart contract interactions for a particular wallet.

1. Search for the Solana address you want to consult. It is shorter than a signature and looks like this:

138KHwTqKNWGLoo8fK5i8UxYtwoC5tC8o7M9rY1CDEjT

2. Copy and paste the address into the SolScan search bar and press Enter.


3. Next, you will see all the information available about the account you are looking for. The [Summary] section shows the current account balances, while the tabs below deal mainly with transaction history.


How to find tokens in SolScan?

It is easy to verify tokens in SolScan and get a complete overview of their details. You just have to do this:

1. Copy and paste the token address into the SolScan search bar and press Enter. In this example, we have used a wrapped version of Bitcoin (BTC), but you can also use a wrapped version of Ethereum (ETH) or any other SLP token on the Solana network.

The token address looks like this:

9n4nbM75f5Ui33ZbPYXn59EwSgE8CGsHtAeTH5YFeJ9E

2. If you entered the address correctly, you will see the following information.


Tokens

Fully diluted market capitalization

This is the maximum total supply multiplied by the current price of the token. It is called diluted because it also includes the locked tokens.

Maximum total supply

The total number of tokens that will come into existence for a given cryptocurrency, whether they have been previously mined or are issued in the future.

Holders

The number of addresses that own the token.

Social channels

Links to the token's official social media channels.

Token name

The name and ticker of the token in the format: [token name (TICKER)].

Token address

Unique alphanumeric address assigned as the identifier of each token.

Owner Program

A category type and unique ID that indicates the specific owner program responsible for reading and writing data to the blockchain.

Authority

The account (usually multi-signature) that has authority to validate transactions on the network.

Decimals

How divisible a token is (the number of decimal places it supports).

Hang tags

Descriptive labels used to indicate the nature of the token. They can be used to find similarly categorized tokens.

Transactions

A complete, sequentially ordered list of all transactions for the token.

Holders

A complete list of all accounts that own the token, sorted by the total amount they hold and percentage of ownership.

Analysis

Charts on token distribution and holders.

Markets

A list of all known markets and pairs that support the token.


How do I find active Solana accounts?

1. You can find out the number of active accounts and other key blockchain metrics by clicking [Analysis].


2. SolScan's analytics page features a wide range of data on network nodes, transactions per second (TPS), new tokens, new NFTs, and much more. In the [Accounts] header, you can find the number of daily active wallets.


3. Please note that you can select different periods in the upper right corner.


How to access DeFi panels in SolScan

1. Some of the largest DEXs in the Solana ecosystem have dashboards integrated into the Solana block explorer. You can find them quickly in the [DeFi] tab.


2. Let's analyze Orca for example. This dashboard displays basic information about the Total Value Locked (TVL), volume, and active trading pairs available in your liquidity pools.


How to access the NFT panel in SolScan

1. SolScan makes it easy to view new NFTs, trades, and collections with the NFT dashboard. You can find the section at the top of the website.


2. The NFT panel will allow you to search for any NFT available on Solana. The [Collections] tab will give you a list of NFT projects based on volume. The [Trades] tab will show you the most recent sales, while [New NFTs] includes recently minted NFTs.



Conclusions

Whether you want to examine your latest metaverse NFTs, investigate a node, or check out the wallets of a new startup, you'll need a Solana block explorer. This tool is an essential part of any blockchain network ecosystem. SolScan has become one of the most used by the Solana community, so understanding its design and user interface can certainly help you.