Setup Guide - Solana App Kit

This guide will walk you through setting up your development environment and getting your first Solana mobile app running in minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

Node.js >= 18.0.0

Download from nodejs.org - LTS version recommended

Package Manager

pnpm (recommended), npm, or pnpm - we recommend pnpm for better performance

Git

Version control system - download from git-scm.com

Quick Start

One Command Setup

The fastest way to get started is using our CLI tool:

npx start-solana-app

Automatic Process

This command will automatically:

Clone the repository
Install all dependencies
Set up environment variables
Launch the development server

Ready to Go

Your app will be running on iOS Simulator, Android Emulator!

That’s it! Most developers can skip the manual installation section below.

Manual Installation

If you prefer to set up manually or need more control:

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/SendArcade/solana-app-kit.git
cd solana-app-kit

Install Dependencies

pnpm install

iOS Dependencies (iOS only)

cd ios
pod install
cd ..

Environment Configuration

The app requires several environment variables for full functionality:

Create Environment File

cp .env.example .env.local

Configure Core Variables

Add your API keys and configuration to .env.local:

Show Core Environment Variables

# Blockchain Configuration
CLUSTER=mainnet-beta
RPC_URL=https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com

# Wallet Providers
PRIVY_APP_ID=your_privy_app_id
PRIVY_CLIENT_ID=your_privy_client_id
DYNAMIC_ENVIRONMENT_ID=your_dynamic_env_id
DYNAMIC_API_KEY=your_dynamic_api_key

# Turnkey Wallet Configuration
TURNKEY_BASE_URL=https://api.turnkey.com
TURNKEY_RP_ID=host.exp.exponent
TURNKEY_RP_NAME=your_app_name
TURNKEY_ORGANIZATION_ID=your_turnkey_organization_id
TURNKEY_API_PUBLIC_KEY=your_turnkey_public_key
TURNKEY_API_PRIVATE_KEY=your_turnkey_private_key

# API Services
HELIUS_API_KEY=your_helius_api_key
TENSOR_API_KEY=your_tensor_api_key
COINGECKO_API_KEY=your_coingecko_api_key
BIRDEYE_API_KEY=your_birdeye_api_key
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key

# Backend Server
SERVER_URL=http://localhost:3000

Getting API Keys

Essential for core functionality:

Helius

Enhanced Solana RPC - Sign up for better reliability and faster responses

Privy

Embedded Wallets - Get credentials for social login and wallet creation

Backend Server Setup

The kit includes a powerful backend server for enhanced functionality:

Navigate to Server Directory

cd server

Install Server Dependencies

pnpm install

Configure Server Environment

cp .env.example .env

Set Up Database

# Create database
createdb solana_app_kit

# Run migrations
pnpm run migrate

Start Backend Server

pnpm dev

Server will be available at http://localhost:3000

Show Required Server Environment Variables

# Blockchain
WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY=your_wallet_private_key
RPC_URL=your_helius_rpc_url
TOKEN_MILL_PROGRAMID=your_token_mill_program_id
TOKEN_MILL_CONFIG_PDA=your_token_mill_config_pda

# Database
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/solana_app_kit

# IPFS Storage
PINATA_JWT=your_pinata_jwt
PINATA_GATEWAY=your_pinata_gateway
PINATA_SECRET=your_pinata_secret
PINATA_API_KEY=your_pinata_api_key

# Cloud Storage
GCS_BUCKET_NAME=your_gcs_bucket_name
SERVICE_ACCOUNT_EMAIL=your_service_account_email

# Supabase (optional)
SUPABASE_URL=your_supabase_url
SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_supabase_anon_key

Running the Mobile App

Start Development Server

From the root directory:

pnpm start

Choose Your Platform

# Using Expo CLI
pnpm ios

# Or using Expo development build
expo run:ios

Development Server Commands

When the Expo server is running, use these keyboard shortcuts:

iOS Simulator

Press i to open iOS simulator

Android Emulator

Press a to open Android emulator

Web Browser

Press w to open in web browser

Reload App

Press r to reload the app

Toggle Menu

Press m to toggle the menu

Developer Tools

Press d to open developer tools

Verification

Check Mobile App

✅ You should see the intro screen with wallet connection options

Verify Backend

✅ Check http://localhost:3000/health returns 200 status

Test Wallet Connection

✅ Try connecting with any configured wallet provider

Navigate Features

✅ Navigate through the app’s main features

Development Mode

The app includes a special development mode for easier debugging:

dev_mode

object

Show Enabling Dev Mode

Shake your device or press Cmd+D (iOS) / Cmd+M (Android)
Select “Dev Mode” from the developer menu
Access debugging tools and mock data

Show Dev Mode Features

Feature	Description
Mock Wallets	Test without real wallet connections
Sample Data	Pre-populated data for UI development
Network Logging	Debug API calls in real-time
State Inspection	Monitor Redux state changes

Troubleshooting

troubleshooting

object

Show Metro Bundler Issues

Issue	Solution
Cache Problems	Run `pnpm start --reset-cache`
Port Conflicts	Try different port with `--port` flag
Dependency Issues	Clear node_modules and reinstall

# Reset cache and restart
pnpm start --reset-cache
# or
expo start --clear

Show iOS Build Issues

Step	Command/Action
Update Pods	`cd ios && pod install --repo-update`
Clear Xcode	Clean build folder and derived data
Reset Simulator	Erase all content and settings

cd ios
pod install --repo-update
cd ..

Show Android Build Issues

Step	Command/Action
Clean Build	`cd android && ./gradlew clean`
Update Tools	Check SDK Manager for updates
Clear Cache	Clear Android Studio caches

cd android
./gradlew clean
cd ..

Show Environment Variable Issues

Check	Description
File Location	`.env.local` in root directory
Server Restart	Required after variable changes
Required Vars	All necessary variables set
API Keys	Valid format and permissions

Verification Steps:

Check file existence and location
Verify variable format and values
Restart development server
Test API connectivity

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Next Steps

Explore the UI

Navigate through screens and discover the app’s features and capabilities

Review the Code

Understand the structure with our comprehensive project organization guide

Try Features

Test wallet connections and explore token swaps, NFTs, and other functionality

Start Customizing

Modify the app for your specific use case with practical examples

Production Deployment

Ready to ship your app? Deploy to app stores with EAS Build:

# Build for iOS
eas build --platform ios --profile production

# Submit to App Store
eas submit --platform ios

# Build for iOS
eas build --platform ios --profile production

# Submit to App Store
eas submit --platform ios

# Build for Android
eas build --platform android --profile production

# Submit to Play Store
eas submit --platform android

Learn More: Check out the EAS Build documentation for detailed deployment instructions.

Introduction

Getting Started

Using LLMs

Modules

Server

​Prerequisites

Node.js >= 18.0.0

Package Manager

Git

Node.js >= 18.0.0

Package Manager

Git

Xcode

CocoaPods

iOS Simulator

Android Studio

Android Emulator

Java Development Kit (JDK)

Expo CLI

EAS CLI

​Quick Start

​Manual Installation

​Environment Configuration

​Getting API Keys

Helius

Privy

Helius

Privy

Dynamic

Turnkey

Tensor

CoinGecko

Birdeye

OpenAI

​Backend Server Setup

​Running the Mobile App

​Development Server Commands

iOS Simulator

Android Emulator

Web Browser

Reload App

Toggle Menu

Developer Tools

​Verification

​Development Mode

​Troubleshooting

​Next Steps

Explore the UI

Review the Code

Try Features

Start Customizing

​Production Deployment

Prerequisites

Quick Start

Manual Installation

Environment Configuration

Getting API Keys

Backend Server Setup

Running the Mobile App

Development Server Commands

Verification

Development Mode

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

Production Deployment