In a recent post on X, Impermanent Gains (@lostin) discussed the latest developments in the Solana ecosystem with the introduction of Agave 2.1. Helius Labs (@heliuslabs) has published an article that delves into the specifics of this update, which is part of a series of client updates aimed at enhancing Solana’s performance.

Performance Enhancements

Over the past year, Anza has focused on eliminating bottlenecks, optimizing resource efficiency, and boosting overall performance. Here are some key improvements:

• Mean slot times have been reduced to below 400ms, which means transactions are processed more quickly, improving user experience.
• Uptime has been maintained at 100% for over a year, showcasing the network’s reliability.
• Skipped slot rates have nearly vanished for well-optimized validators, ensuring smoother transaction flow.
• Transactions per second (TPS) have reached all-time highs, highlighting Solana’s scalability improvements.

The Agave 2.1 Update

The Agave 2.1 update introduces several significant changes:

• Block Limits Increase: A 4% increase in block limits is proposed via SIMD-0207, moving from 48M to 50M Compute Units (CUs) per block. This gradual expansion aims to increase network capacity while maintaining stability.

• Greedy Scheduler: Previously, the central scheduler faced challenges under high network load due to the time needed to sort transactions. The new greedy scheduler removes this overhead, improving transaction scheduling responsiveness by handling smaller, more manageable batches.

• Security Enhancements: A new native program for verifying secp256r1 elliptic curve signatures has been introduced, supporting advanced security features like Passkeys, WebAuthn standard, and new models of account abstraction including two-factor authentication (2FA). This move towards passwordless authentication enhances security and user interaction on-chain.

Visual Insights

The article by Helius Labs also includes several charts illustrating the performance improvements:

• Non-Vote TPS by Percentile: Shows the increase in transaction processing capabilities across different percentiles.
• Slot Skip Rates Average Per Epoch: Demonstrates how the average slot skip rates have improved over time with different versions of Agave.
• Average Slot Time per Epoch: Highlights the reduction in average slot times, contributing to faster transaction processing.

Conclusion

The Agave 2.1 update represents a significant stride in Solana’s journey towards becoming a more efficient, scalable, and secure blockchain platform. Validators, RPC operators, and users alike can expect noticeable gains in stability and performance. For a deeper dive into the update, you can read the full article by Helius Labs here.

This update not only addresses current needs but also lays the groundwork for future enhancements, ensuring Solana remains competitive in the blockchain space. With the network continuing to evolve, staying updated with these changes is crucial for anyone involved with or interested in Solana.