How to Read Solana Ecosystem Project Descriptions

Solana’s ecosystem includes hundreds of projects. Announcements and directories sort them into categories that can confuse newcomers. Here is what the common labels mean.

Decentralised exchange (DEX)

A DEX lets users swap tokens without a central company holding custody. You connect your wallet, and smart contracts (called programs on Solana) execute the trade. Terms you will see: liquidity pool, slippage, AMM (automated market maker).

Lending and borrowing protocols

These applications let users deposit tokens to earn interest or borrow against collateral. Vocabulary includes: collateral ratio, liquidation, oracle (a data feed providing price information), and utilisation rate.

NFT marketplaces

Platforms for buying, selling, and minting non-fungible tokens. Look for terms like: collection, mint, floor price, royalty, and metadata. On Solana, most NFTs follow the Metaplex standard.

Wallets and infrastructure

Some projects build wallet software, RPC nodes, or developer tools rather than consumer-facing apps. Descriptions may mention: mainnet, devnet, indexer, and gRPC.

Gaming and entertainment

On-chain games use terms like: asset, character NFT, play-to-earn (a controversial model), and session key (a temporary signing key for smoother gameplay).

How to evaluate a description

When reading about any project, ask:

1. What category does it belong to?
2. What tokens or accounts does it interact with?
3. Does it require connecting a wallet?
4. Where does the documentation define unfamiliar terms?

If a description uses undefined acronyms, that is a sign to pause and look them up — or ask us.

Our ecosystem glossary coverage

We are gradually adding ecosystem-specific terms to our glossary. For a tailored list relevant to your reading, consider a written glossary brief.