Get started with Solana - Phantom Developer Documentation

1. Introduction

Overview • Why Solana + Phantom

Fast, low-cost blockchain for web apps

Solana is designed for high throughput and minimal fees — an excellent choice for dApps that need low-latency transactions. Phantom is a popular browser wallet that provides a clean developer API and native UX for connecting wallets to web applications.

2. Prerequisites

Tools • Accounts • Keys

Before you begin

Node.js (LTS) installed
A code editor (VS Code recommended)
Phantom Wallet extension installed in your browser
A Solana devnet account (you can airdrop SOL for testing)

3. How Phantom integrates

Wallet Provider & API surface

Window object & adapters

Phantom injects a provider into the browser (window.solana). Your dApp detects the provider, requests connection, and signs transactions with the user's permission.

// sample detection
if (window.solana && window.solana.isPhantom) {
  // connect
}

4. Connect flow

UX patterns

Deep link vs popup

Offer a clear "Connect Wallet" button. On click, call window.solana.connect(). Handle user rejection gracefully and show a short explanation of required permissions.

5. Key APIs

connect • signTransaction • signAllTransactions

Common methods

connect() — prompts user to connect their account
disconnect() — ends the session
signTransaction(tx) — requests signature for a transaction

6. Example: Connecting (JS)

Minimal code snippet

async function connectWallet(){
  if (!window.solana) throw new Error('Phantom not found')
  const resp = await window.solana.connect()
  console.log('Connected:', resp.publicKey.toString())
}

Note

Always check for provider and handle exceptions; never assume a wallet is present.

7. Transactions & signing

Building transactions • Serialization

Build on Solana web3.js

Use @solana/web3.js to create Transaction objects, add instructions, then ask Phantom to sign and send. Use devnet or test validator for development and keep key material local.

8. Best practices

Security • UX

Security-first mindset

Never transmit private keys
Show clear transaction details to users
Provide fallbacks when Phantom is unavailable

9. Troubleshooting

Common issues

Connection fails?

Ask users to unlock Phantom, ensure the extension is installed and the site is allowed. Check console logs and network settings. Use window.solana.on('connect', callback) to react to changes.

10. Resources & next steps

Docs • Links • Samples

Read the official documentation for detailed examples, SDK references, and the latest updates. Clone example repos and run them locally to learn by doing.

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