Solana Introduces v1.17.31 Update to Address Network Congestion

Solana developers have announced a new software update designed to tackle the ongoing congestion issues plaguing the popular blockchain network. According to an X post, the update, known as v1.17.31, is now recommended for general use by mainnet validators.

Enhancements to Alleviate Congestion

The v1.17.31 update includes several enhancements intended to mitigate the network congestion that has affected Solana in recent months. Rex St John, head of developer relations at Anza, which rolled out the update, highlighted in an X post that this is the first in a series of planned updates aimed at resolving the congestion problem.

Importance of Validators

Validators, which are entities running nodes or software to confirm transactions and secure the blockchain network, play a crucial role in maintaining the network’s integrity. These entities must continuously upgrade their nodes to newer releases to address any emerging issues.

Recent Congestion Challenges

Solana has faced significant congestion issues recently due to a surge in user activity, particularly driven by a meme coin frenzy. This increased demand pushed transactional volumes to as high as $4 billion in March, compared to the usual under $500 million per day in 2023.

Impact of Bots and Failed Transactions

The high use of bots has been a major factor contributing to the congestion, resulting in a spike in “failed” transactions. As explained by Solana developer @0xMert_ on X, these failures occur when smart contracts flag certain transactions as “bad requests,” despite being successfully submitted to the network.

Prioritizing Transactions

The final version of the update aims to prioritize transactions from “good” validators—those with a sizeable stake—to a node leader where transactions are confirmed. This prioritization ensures that validators with higher stakes receive better service quality, preventing lower-quality validators from flooding the network with transactions maliciously.

Testing Version 1.18

Version 1.18 is currently being tested on a testnet, a network that mimics the main blockchain, to identify and resolve bugs and other issues before it is rolled out for general use. This rigorous testing phase ensures that the update will effectively address the congestion problems when deployed on the mainnet.