---
slug: /
id: home
title: Home
sidebar_label: Home
pagination_label: Solana Validator Documentation Home
description: "Solana is a high performance network that is utilized for a range
  of use cases, \
  including finance, NFTs, payments, and gaming."
---

# Solana Validator Documentation

Solana is a blockchain built for mass adoption. It's a high performance network
that is utilized for a range of use cases, including finance, NFTs, payments,
and gaming. Solana operates as a single global state machine, and is open,
interoperable and decentralized.

## Command Line Interface and Tool Suite

To get started using the Solana Command Line (CLI) tools:

- [Install the Solana CLI Tool Suite](./cli/install.md) - Quickly get setup
  locally with the CLI, optionally build from source
- [Introduction to the CLI conventions](./cli/intro.md) - Understand the common
  conventions used within the CLI tool suite
- [Choose a cluster](./cli/examples/choose-a-cluster.md) - Select a Solana
  network cluster to connect (e.g. `devnet`, `testnet`, `mainnet-beta`)
- [Create a wallet](./cli/wallets/index.md) - Create a command line wallet for
  use within the CLI and beyond

## Understanding the Architecture

Get to know the underlying architecture of how the proof-of-stake blockchain
works:

- [Clusters](./clusters/index.md) - a collection of validators that work
  together for consensus
- [Validators](./validator/anatomy.md) - the individual nodes that are the
  backbone of the network
- [Runtime](./runtime/programs.md) - the native programs that are core to the
  validator and the blockchain

## Running a Validator

Explore what it takes to operate a Solana validator and help secure the network.

- [Validator vs RPC node](./operations/validator-or-rpc-node.md) - Understand
  the important differences between voting and non-voting validators on the
  network
- [System requirements](./operations/requirements.md) - Recommended hardware
  requirements and expected SOL needed to operate a validator
- [Quick start guide](./operations/setup-a-validator.md) - Setup a validator and
  get connected to a cluster for the first time

## Learn more

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<HomeCtaLinks />