A brief introduction to Solana’s new features: Solana Actions and blink

Author: Mo Feng; Compiler: Vernacular Blockchain

On June 25, 2024, Solana released their new features: Solana Actions and Blinks. With these features, users can interact with the Solana blockchain more conveniently. This article is a comprehensive guide to Solana Actions to help you fully understand Solana Actions.

1. What is Solana Actions?

According to Solana official documentation, Solana Actions is an API that allows websites to interact with Solana to implement on-chain activities such as transfers, voting, and donations.

If you are not a technical person, you may not quite understand what an API is.

Don't worry, I'll explain it in simple terms: Solana Actions is like the backend system of a courier company. This system is responsible for processing all orders, arranging routes, packaging goods, and ensuring their safe delivery.

For example, you place an order online to buy a product. The courier company's backend system (Solana Actions) processes your order, arranges for the courier to pick up the goods, pack them, and deliver them to your door.

2. What is Blinks?

Blinks is a user interface consisting of graphical elements and buttons that we can see and interact with directly.

By clicking on these buttons, we can interact with the Solana blockchain. This is similar to shopping on an e-commerce website; you click a button and then confirm the payment.

Currently, it looks like this.

You can choose the transaction amount or enter a custom amount. This is a test page, you can see it on my Twitter: https://x.com/AndyCharle1994/status/1806120704041169190

3. The relationship and difference between Actions and Blinks

If you understand their definitions, it is easy to grasp the difference between the two.

In simple terms, Solana Actions is the underlying code logic that ordinary users do not need to understand, while Blinks is the UI interface presented to users, and users conduct on-chain activities through Blinks. With Blinks, many operations no longer need to be completed within the dApp, which greatly simplifies the complexity of the operation.

4. How to enable the Blinks function?

If you want to experience or use Solana Blinks, you need to enable the relevant function in your wallet, and then you can use Blinks on Twitter.

Here are how to enable the function in various wallets.

In the Phantom wallet: Click on the wallet - click on settings - click on experimental features - enable.

In Backpack wallet:

Click Settings - Click Solana - Allow Solana Actions on X

In Solflare wallet:

Solflare does not currently support Blinks. To use the Solana Actions feature, you need to install the Dialect plug-in and select Solflare in the plug-in.

Dialect plug-in download link: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/dialect-blinks/mhklkgpihchphohoiopkidjnbhdoilof

5. What are the application scenarios of Solana Actions?

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Transactions: Users can use Solana Actions to conduct Token transactions directly on decentralized trading platforms (DEX) without leaving the current application or web page.

NFT Marketplace: Users can buy, sell, or auction NFTs through Solana Actions, signing transactions directly in their wallet or on the website.

Payments and Transfers: Users can use Solana Actions to quickly and cheaply transfer SOL or other tokens without having to enter a dedicated payment application.

DAO Governance: Community members can vote on DAO proposals through Solana Actions, directly in the chatbot or website.

In-Game Purchases: Game developers can integrate Solana Actions to allow players to purchase items or upgrades within the game interface without leaving the game interface.

Subscription Services: Users can subscribe to blockchain-based services such as data provision, content access, or membership clubs through Solana Actions.

Charitable donations: Charitable organizations can use Solana Actions to accept cryptocurrency donations, simplify the donation process and ensure transparency.

Social media interaction: On social media platforms, users can use Solana Actions to tip, vote, or other interactive operations, and complete on-chain transactions directly within the platform.

6. Solana Actions FAQ

Is Solana Actions safe? I see many users on Twitter are worried about this issue, because there are often various scam links on Twitter, resulting in user property losses.

Will the introduction of Solana Actions not exacerbate this phenomenon?

I don't think there is any need to worry about this issue.

Because if a website needs to enable Solana Actions functionality, they need to register in Dialect's public registry and be audited.

After the audit, the vast majority of phishing links can be avoided.

Where can Solana Actions be used?  Currently, Solana Actions can be used on Twitter. In the foreseeable future, they will be available on various websites.

As a developer, what resources are there to learn Solana Actions? You can learn it at:

• https://github.com/solana-developers/awesome-blinks?tab=readme-ov-file

• https://docs.dialect.to/documentation

• https://solana.com/docs/advanced/actions#rules

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIXEzhvX0u8

Currently, Solana Actions has just been launched. Quickly mastering this knowledge can allow you to develop some very cool applications. In any case, Solana Actions is indeed a cool feature. It has just been launched, and I believe it will shine in the future.