Solana Developer Templates: official create-solana-dapp gallery
Foundation template monorepo + create-solana-dapp CLI: Kit-first Next/Vite, Expo mobile, legacy web3.js, and community x402/Phantom/commerce starters.
devrels.xyz/a/247Solana Developer Templates: official create-solana-dapp gallery. The public shelf lives at solana.com/developers/templates; the git source is solana-foundation/templates. This is a builder review of what is on the shelf, how the CLI pulls it, and which stack to start from in 2026.
What the page is
Not a second docs site. It is a filterable catalog of production-oriented starters — dApps, mobile, payments, airdrop, auth — that the create-solana-dapp CLI materializes into a local repo. Filters on the site (Starter, Backend, Mobile, Payments, Airdrop, Auth, SDKs, wallet adapters) map to metadata on each template package.
Install path
# interactive
npm create solana-dapp@latest
# or pnpm / bun / yarn create solana-dapp
# pin a template from the monorepo
npm create solana-dapp@latest -t gh:solana-foundation/templates/kit/nextjs
npm create solana-dapp@latest -t gh:solana-foundation/templates/kit/nextjs-anchor
npm create solana-dapp@latest -t gh:solana-foundation/templates/mobile/kit-expo-minimal
# any giget-compatible external template
npm create solana-dapp@latest -t <org>/<repo>Template authors can ship a create-solana-dapp block in package.json (post-install instructions, package-manager pin, rename maps, optional Solana skill install). That is why some scaffolds print Anchor build/test commands immediately after generate.
Monorepo layout
| Path | Stack bias | Use when |
|---|---|---|
kit/ | @solana/kit, modern client, often Tailwind + Next or Vite | Default for new web apps and server signing samples |
web3js/ | @solana/web3.js + classic wallet-adapter | Legacy tutorials, existing adapter-era codebases |
mobile/ | Expo / React Native + Mobile Wallet Adapter (or Privy) | Solana Mobile / RN product shells |
community/ | Partner and community-maintained starters | x402, Phantom embedded, commerce, specialized protocols |
Kit templates (prefer for greenfield)
| Template | What you get |
|---|---|
kit/nextjs | Next.js + Tailwind + Kit wallet / on-chain actions |
kit/nextjs-anchor | Same + Anchor vault program |
kit/react-vite / react-vite-anchor | Vite SPA + @solana/react-hooks (± Anchor vault) |
kit/nextjs-das-nfts | Metaplex DAS / cNFT viewer via custom RPC plugin |
kit/nextjs-hardware-signin | Ledger-style auth via memo tx verify (no message signing) |
kit/nextjs-keychain / axum-keychain | Server-side signing with pluggable backends (memory, KMS, MPC, custodial) — Axum variant adds Rust API |
kit/nextjs-subscriptions | Solana subscriptions / recurring payment program wiring |
kit/pinocchio-counter | Native Pinocchio counter program (no full dApp shell) |
Mobile
Mobile templates split Kit vs web3.js and minimal vs fuller UI (Uniwind / Paper). Privy appears as mobile/kit-expo-privy when you want embedded auth instead of only MWA. Start from kit-expo-minimal unless you already depend on web3.js patterns.
Web3.js (legacy shelf)
The web3js/* Next and Vite templates still matter for courses and wallet-adapter copy-paste, but new product work should not default here. Migrate toward Kit when you touch wallet UX or transaction building in earnest — see Solana Kit and Kit vs web3.js vs gill.
Community templates worth knowing
| Template | Domain |
|---|---|
x402-template, x402-solana-rust, kit-node-solanax402, pay-gate-inference | HTTP 402 / agent payments |
phantom-embedded-* (js / react / rn) | Phantom embedded wallet OAuth paths |
commerce-kit-store | Headless commerce + Solana Pay-oriented store |
supabase-auth | Wallet auth against Supabase |
merkle-airdrop, zk-compression-airdrop | Airdrop distribution patterns |
moneygram-onramp, eve-pay, drift-hello-world | Partner rails / protocol hellos |
lazorkit-starter-* | Lazor Kit starters (Expo / Next / Vite) |
Chooser
| Goal | Start here |
|---|---|
| Marketing site + wallet + one ix | kit/nextjs |
| Full-stack with on-chain program | kit/nextjs-anchor or react-vite-anchor |
| NFT gallery / DAS | kit/nextjs-das-nfts |
| Backend signing / KMS shape | kit/nextjs-keychain or axum-keychain |
| Mobile | mobile/kit-expo-minimal → Privy variant if needed |
| Agent-paid API | Community x402 templates; cross-read x402 / seller guide |
| Following an old tutorial | web3js/* only until you can port |
Review notes (opinionated)
- Strength: one CLI, one monorepo, clear Kit-first direction, community path for partners without polluting core.
- Strength: specialized starters (keychain, hardware sign-in, subscriptions, DAS) beat yet another empty “counter + wallet”.
- Watch: gallery filter labels ≠ directory names — always copy the
gh:solana-foundation/templates/…path from the card or TEMPLATES.md. - Watch: web3.js shelf still visible; do not assume “official” means “current default stack”.
- Contribute: community templates need metadata +
og-image.png+pnpm generateper the repo guide — good DevRel exercise for protocol teams.
People and links
| Surface | Link |
|---|---|
| Gallery | solana.com/developers/templates |
| Templates monorepo | solana-foundation/templates |
| CLI | solana-developers/create-solana-dapp |
| List file | TEMPLATES.md |
| Org | Solana Foundation |
Resources
- Solana Developer Templates
- Solana Kit
- solana.new CLI (adjacent AI scaffold lane — different product)
- Kora / Subscriptions
Keep reading
No rustup, no Anchor install, no local validator: open beta.solpg.io, get a playground wallet, airdrop devnet SOL, and deploy an Anchor program from the browser. Solana Playground is still beta, still the default surface for official first-program tutorials — and still a curated crate allowlist that lags mainnet tooling. Architecture, workflows, limits, and where it sits next to LiteSVM and local Anchor.
One fetch. Wallet signs. Facilitator settles. Resource comes back.
Sign in with SIWX, pay GET /get-card over x402, then poll GET /get-card-data until the card is ready. USA merchants, caller use, no fee.
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