Courses & Education
Solana has a rich ecosystem of learning resources, from interactive self-paced courses to intensive cohort programs to security-focused training. This page organizes them by learning style and level so you can find the right fit.
Self-Paced Interactive Courses
These courses let you learn at your own speed with structured curricula and hands-on exercises.
Solana Foundation Courses
https://solana.com/developers/courses
The official curriculum maintained by the Solana Foundation. This is the most comprehensive free resource for learning Solana development from scratch. It covers client-side development, on-chain program development with Anchor, and advanced topics like compressed NFTs and Solana Mobile. Each module includes explanations, code examples, and lab exercises. If you only follow one course, make it this one.
RareSkills Solana Tutorial
https://rareskills.io/solana-tutorial
A 60-day structured course that is widely regarded as the best resource for EVM developers transitioning to Solana. RareSkills explicitly maps Solana concepts to their Ethereum equivalents -- explaining how accounts relate to contract storage, how PDAs replace mappings, and how CPIs differ from delegate calls. The depth of technical explanation is exceptional, covering topics like rent, compute units, and the BPF loader that many courses skip. Best for developers who already understand smart contracts and want to learn Solana specifically.
freeCodeCamp Solana
https://web3.freecodecamp.org/solana
Interactive, IDE-based learning that follows the freeCodeCamp philosophy of learning by doing. You write real code in your browser and get immediate feedback. This is a good option for developers who learn best by typing code rather than reading documentation. The curriculum covers the fundamentals and builds progressively toward more complex programs.
RiseIn Build on Solana
https://www.risein.com/courses/build-on-solana
A beginner-friendly course available in both text and video formats. RiseIn structures the learning around building projects, so you always have context for why you are learning each concept. Good for developers who prefer a guided, project-based approach with multiple media formats.
Cohort-Based Programs
These programs offer structured timelines, mentorship, and community -- ideal if you learn better with accountability and collaboration.
Turbin3
An intensive cohort program where you build real projects with mentorship from experienced Solana developers. Turbin3 offers multiple tracks -- Rust program development, TypeScript client development, and trading infrastructure. The program has produced a significant number of developers who went on to contribute to ecosystem projects. The cohort format means you are building alongside peers and getting direct feedback, which accelerates learning dramatically compared to solo study.
Superteam Academy
https://github.com/SuperteamBrazil/superteam-academy
Superteam Brazil's on-chain Learning Management System. This is not just a course -- it is a fully on-chain platform that issues soulbound XP tokens for completed modules and NFT certificates for finished courses. The education content is focused on Solana development with a path from beginner to advanced. Currently in active development. Maintained by @thomgabriel and @kauenet.
Security-Focused Training
Security is not optional in blockchain development. These resources teach you to think like an attacker.
Cyfrin Updraft
Patrick Collins' comprehensive smart contract security curriculum. While it covers multiple chains, the security principles -- reentrancy, access control, arithmetic overflow, oracle manipulation -- apply directly to Solana programs. The course walks through real exploit case studies and teaches formal audit techniques. Essential for any developer who will deploy programs that handle user funds.
Ackee Blockchain Security
Solana-specific security training from the team behind Trident, the leading fuzz testing framework for Solana programs. Ackee has audited dozens of production Solana protocols and channels that expertise into their training materials. Their curriculum covers common vulnerability patterns unique to Solana -- missing signer checks, PDA substitution attacks, type cosplay, and CPI abuse. If you want Solana-specific security knowledge from professional auditors, this is the source.
Video Content
For developers who prefer video-based learning, these channels and playlists cover both foundational theory and practical Solana development.
Blockchain Concepts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Wbt0b8bwY&list=PLBHHzL31sSu2HMtlLCIbQg7YY8ElKDenI
Foundational blockchain theory playlist. Covers consensus mechanisms, cryptographic primitives, transaction models, and distributed systems concepts. Watch this if you are new to blockchain entirely and want to understand the underlying principles before diving into Solana-specific content.
Solana Concepts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRYs49MqapI&list=PLilwLeBwGuK51Ji870apdb88dnBr1Xqhm
Concise explainers focused specifically on Solana concepts -- accounts, rent, programs, PDAs, CPIs, and the runtime. Each video is short and focused on a single topic, making this a good reference playlist to revisit when you need a refresher on a specific concept.
Solana Bootcamp 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P8JeL3TURU&list=PLilwLeBwGuK6NsYMPP_BlVkeQgff0NwvU
A full recorded bootcamp that balances theory with hands-on coding sessions. This playlist walks through the entire development lifecycle -- from understanding the account model to deploying production programs. Good for developers who want a comprehensive, structured video course rather than fragmented tutorials.
Solana Bootcamp 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amAq-WHAFs8
The updated bootcamp with a more project-based approach. Covers newer tooling and patterns that emerged in 2024, including Token-2022 extensions and modern development workflows. Watch this after the 2023 bootcamp if you want to see the latest best practices.
Solandy
https://www.youtube.com/solandy
Weekly developer-focused content covering new Solana features, tutorials, and ecosystem updates. Solandy consistently produces high-quality technical content and is one of the most reliable channels for staying current with Solana development trends. Good for developers who already have the basics and want to keep learning.
Solana Bytes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrO6cjdPUOs&list=PLzUrW5H8-hDfyd0xu7gc8ZMmzBg8k_dz2
Short-form concept explainers -- each video covers one specific topic in under 10 minutes. Perfect for filling knowledge gaps or quickly understanding a new concept before diving into the documentation. The format respects your time while still being technically substantive.
Structured University & Institutional Programs
These programs are backed by academic institutions or professional organizations and offer more rigorous curricula with formal credentials.
School of Solana (Ackee Blockchain Security)
https://ackee.xyz/school-of-solana
A free, cohort-based program run by Ackee Blockchain Security -- the same team behind the Trident fuzz testing framework and dozens of production protocol audits. The curriculum spans 5 weeks and covers Solana fundamentals, Anchor program development, security patterns, and testing. Students build a capstone project and receive a certificate upon completion. What distinguishes School of Solana from other cohort programs is the security-first perspective -- you learn to build correctly from the start rather than bolting on security after the fact. Multiple cohorts have been run since 2023, and alumni have gone on to work at ecosystem projects.
Helius Developer Deep Dives
Helius maintains one of the highest-quality developer blogs in the Solana ecosystem. Their technical articles cover topics that are rarely explained well elsewhere. While not a structured course, these articles function as graduate-level technical references that fill gaps left by official documentation. Essential reading for production infrastructure:
Solana Fees in Theory and Practice -- the most precise public explanation of Solana's fee mechanics
Priority Fees: Understanding Transaction Fee Mechanics -- how to set and estimate priority fees correctly
Solana Congestion: How to Best Send Transactions -- transaction landing strategies during congestion
Solana Executive Overview -- the most comprehensive single-page overview of Solana's architecture
A Hitchhiker's Guide to Solana Program Security -- security patterns and common vulnerabilities
All You Need to Know About Compression on Solana -- deep dive on state compression and cNFTs
Nick Frostbutter
Written articles, tutorials, and newsletter from Nick Frostbutter, a developer on the Solana Foundation Developer Relations team. Content covers new Solana tooling and patterns from someone who contributes to official documentation -- including deep dives on the gill JavaScript client library, web3.js 2.0 patterns, and vanity address generation. Also co-hosts the Solfate Podcast covering Solana ecosystem builders. YouTube: @nickfrosty. High-quality first-hand coverage that often precedes official docs.
Blueshift Learning Platform
A gamified learning platform for blockchain development that includes Solana-specific content. Blueshift uses a challenge-based approach where you solve increasingly difficult programming puzzles. Each challenge teaches a specific concept -- account creation, PDA derivation, CPI execution -- in a hands-on format. Good for developers who are motivated by achievement systems and prefer learning through problem-solving rather than passive reading.
Portuguese-Language Content
Resources specifically created for Portuguese-speaking developers in the Brazilian Solana ecosystem.
Superteam Brazil Technical Bootcamps
Presencial and online bootcamp sessions organized by Superteam Brazil's DevRel team. These have been held at universities (UFSC in Florianopolis, Inteli in Sao Paulo) and online, covering Solana fundamentals through to advanced program development. The bootcamps are structured as intensive multi-hour sessions with hands-on coding exercises. Check the Superteam Brazil events page for upcoming sessions.
Superteam Brazil YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@SuperteamBR
Portuguese-language video content including recorded bootcamps, ecosystem updates, and developer tutorials. The Ideathon Road to Colosseum event (March 2026) was live-streamed here with 349+ viewers, making it one of the most-watched Portuguese Solana developer events. Subscribe for notifications of live events and new content.
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