RPC Setup

What is RPC?

RPC (Remote Procedure Call) is how Flash Terminal talks to the Solana blockchain. It's a URL pointing to a Solana node that processes your requests — fetching prices, checking balances, and sending transactions.

Method 1 — Default (No Setup)

Flash Terminal connects to Solana's public RPC automatically:

https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com

This works for simulation and light use. No configuration needed.

Method 2 — Custom RPC

Set your own endpoint in .env:

RPC_URL=https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com

Any Solana mainnet RPC endpoint works. Must use HTTPS (except localhost).

Method 3 — Paid RPC (Recommended for Live Trading)

Public RPC has rate limits and variable latency. For reliable live trading, use a dedicated provider:

Provider	Link	Notes
Helius	helius.dev	Free tier available
Triton	triton.one	High performance
QuickNode	quicknode.com	Enterprise option

Sign up, get your endpoint, add to .env:

RPC_URL=https://mainnet.helius-rpc.com/?api-key=YOUR_KEY

Why Paid RPC Matters

	Public	Paid
Rate limits	Strict	High/unlimited
Latency	Variable (100-500ms)	Consistent (20-80ms)
Transaction landing	Unreliable under load	Reliable
Best for	Simulation	Live trading

Backup RPC (Failover)

Add backup endpoints for automatic failover:

RPC_URL=https://mainnet.helius-rpc.com/?api-key=YOUR_KEY
BACKUP_RPC_1=https://your-backup.com
BACKUP_RPC_2=https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com

Flash Terminal monitors health every 30 seconds and switches to a backup when:

• Primary stops responding
• Latency exceeds threshold
• Slot lag exceeds 50 slots

When primary recovers, it switches back automatically.

Checking RPC Health

rpc status        # Current endpoint health + latency
rpc test          # Test all configured endpoints
rpc list          # List all configured endpoints
doctor            # Full system diagnostics including RPC

Managing Endpoints at Runtime

rpc set <url>       # Change primary endpoint
rpc add <url>       # Add a backup endpoint
rpc remove <url>    # Remove an endpoint

Next Steps

• Configuration — Full .env reference
• Wallet Setup — Set up your wallet
• Troubleshooting — Fix connection issues