docs: Add docs for `solana-test-validator`

docs/sidebars.js

@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ module.exports = {
           "developing/on-chain-programs/faq",
         ],
       },
+      "developing/test-validator",
       "developing/backwards-compatibility",
     ],
     Integrating: ["integrations/exchange"],

docs/src/developing/test-validator.md

@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+---
+title: Solana Test Validator
+---
+During early stage development, it is often convenient to target a cluster with
+fewer restrictions and more configuration options than the public offerings
+provide. This is easily achieved with the `solana-test-validator` binary, which
+starts a local, full-featured, single-node cluster on the developer's workstation.
+
+## Advantages
+- No RPC rate-limits
+- No airdrop limits
+- Direct [on-chain program](on-chain-programs/overview) deployment
+(`--bpl-program ...`)
+- Clone account's from a public cluster, including programs (`--clone ...`)
+- Configurable transaction history (`--limit-ledger-size ...`)
+- Configurable epoch length (`--slots-per-epoch ...`)
+- Jump to an arbitrary slot (`--warp-slot ...`)
+
+## Installation
+The `solana-test-validator` binary ships with the Solana CLI Tool Suite.
+[Install](/cli/install-solana-cli-tools) it before continuing.
+
+## Running
+First take a look at the configuration options
+```
+solana-test-validator --help
+```
+
+Next start the test validator
+```
+solana-test-validator
+```
+
+By default basic status information is printed while the process is running.
+See [Appendix I](#appendix-i-status-output) for details
+```
+Ledger location: test-ledger
+Log: test-ledger/validator.log
+Identity: EPhgPANa5Rh2wa4V2jxt7YbtWa3Uyw4sTeZ13cQjDDB8
+Version: 1.6.7
+Gossip Address: 127.0.0.1:1024
+TPU Address: 127.0.0.1:1027
+JSON RPC URL: http://127.0.0.1:8899
+⠈ 00:36:02 | Processed Slot: 5142 | Confirmed Slot: 5142 | Finalized Slot: 5110 | Snapshot Slot: 5100 | Transactions: 5142 | ◎499.974295000
+```
+
+Leave `solana-test-validator` running in its own terminal. When it is no longer
+needed, it can be stopped with ctrl-c.
+
+## Interacting
+Open a new terminal to interact with a [running](#running) `solana-test-validator`
+instance using other binaries from the Solana CLI Tool Suite or your own client
+software.
+
+#### Configure the CLI Tool Suite to target a local cluster by default
+```
+solana config set --url http://127.0.0.1:8899
+```
+
+#### Verify the CLI Tool Suite configuration
+```
+solana cluster-version
+```
+
+#### Check the wallet balance
+```
+solana balance
+```
+* **NOTE:** `Error: No such file or directory (os error 2)` means that the default
+wallet does not yet exist. Create it with `solana-keygen new`.
+* **NOTE:** If the wallet has a zero SOL balance, airdrop some localnet SOL with
+`solana airdrop 10`
+
+#### Perform a basic transfer transaction
+```
+solana transfer EPhgPANa5Rh2wa4V2jxt7YbtWa3Uyw4sTeZ13cQjDDB8 1
+```
+
+#### Monitor `msg!()` output from on-chain programs
+```
+solana logs
+```
+* **NOTE:** This command needs to be running when the target transaction is
+executed. Run it in its own terminal
+
+## Appendix I: Status Output
+```
+Ledger location: test-ledger
+```
+* File path of the ledger storage directory. This directory can get large. Store
+less transaction history with `--limit-ledger-size ...` or relocate it with
+`--ledger ...`
+
+```
+Log: test-ledger/validator.log
+```
+* File path of the validator text log file. The log can also be streamed by
+passing `--log`. Status output is suppressed in this case.
+
+```
+Identity: EPhgPANa5Rh2wa4V2jxt7YbtWa3Uyw4sTeZ13cQjDDB8
+```
+* The validator's identity in the [gossip network](/validator/gossip#gossip-overview)
+
+```
+Version: 1.6.7
+```
+* The software version
+
+```
+Gossip Address: 127.0.0.1:1024
+TPU Address: 127.0.0.1:1027
+JSON RPC URL: http://127.0.0.1:8899
+```
+* The network address of the [Gossip](/validator/gossip#gossip-overview),
+[Transaction Processing Unit](/validator/tpu) and [JSON RPC](clients/jsonrpc-api#json-rpc-api-reference)
+service, respectively
+
+```
+⠈ 00:36:02 | Processed Slot: 5142 | Confirmed Slot: 5142 | Finalized Slot: 5110 | Snapshot Slot: 5100 | Transactions: 5142 | ◎499.974295000
+```
+* Session running time, current slot of the the three block
+[commitment levels](clients/jsonrpc-api#configuring-state-commitment),
+slot height of the last snapshot, trasaction count,
+[voting authority](/running-validator/vote-accounts#vote-authority) balance