Solana Labs’ launch of Solang, a new compiler, extends the benefits of Solidity, Ethereum’s primary programming language, to the Solana network, significantly broadening its potential developer base
Solana Labs, known for its high-speed, low-cost blockchain platform, has unveiled a new compiler, Solang, in an effort to bridge the gap between Ethereum developers and the Solana ecosystem, Solana published on July 19.
Solang follows Neon’s announcement earlier this week, suggesting a coordinated effort to bring the benefits of deploying Ethereum DApps directly onto the network, using Solana’s technical capabilities with minimal code reconfiguration.
Both utilize Solidity, but as a Solang statement read, both “are complimentary approaches to the same issue of improving compatibilty of Solana with existing Ethereum development approaches.”
By opening Solana to Solidity, Solang creates a more accessible platform for Ethereum developers. Until now, Solana has been widely recognized for using Rust or C languages for writing smart contracts, but this move into Solidity could potentially diversify its developer base.
Solang’s key features include compatibility with Ethereum Solidity 0.8, allowing a familiar working environment for Ethereum developers. It has the capability to call other Solana smart contracts, which ensures effortless integration within the existing ecosystem. It also supports Solana SPL tokens, widening the range of transactions available on the Solana network.
The new compiler also accommodates program derived addresses, enhancing the system’s overall security. Another notable feature is its support for Anchor, a popular framework for Solana’s smart contract development, which further streamlines the development process on Solana.
Solang builds native Solana smart contracts and provides access to native Solana built-in functionality, allowing developers to take advantage of Solana’s unique attributes. This release aligns with Solana Labs’ ongoing drive to expand the reach of its ecosystem, following the community-led creation of Seahorse last year, which allowed Solana smart contracts to be written in Python.