SLV Now Supports Agave Testnet for Solana Validators

ELSOUL LABO B.V. (Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; CEO: Fumitake Kawasaki) and the Validators DAO, an organization dedicated to promoting decentralization and security across the Solana network, have announced the release of a new feature for the Solana development tool “SLV”, enabling significantly simplified switching between the Agave testnet and Firedancer (Frankendancer).

SLV Now Supports Agave Testnet and Firedancer

SLV is an open-source tool designed to streamline the setup and operation of Solana validators.

With this new update, validators can switch between the Agave testnet and Firedancer (Frankendancer) versions using just a few command-line operations.

This feature will substantially reduce operational costs for validators currently participating in the Solana Foundation’s Delegation Program, who frequently face version changes and test environment switches.

Why Quick Testnet Switching Matters

The Solana Foundation is currently running extensive verification tests on both the next-generation client software, Firedancer (Frankendancer), and Agave. Recent announcements from the Foundation include:

• Testing Agave v2.1.7
• Testnet rollback & restart
• Stopping Frankendancer, requiring all validators to switch to Agave
• Conducting environment tests between Agave v2.0 and v2.1
• Planning to introduce Frankendancer to the testnet in the near future

2025 01 14 Testnet Rollback and Restart from Agave: https://github.com/anza-xyz/agave/wiki/2025-01-14-Testnet-Rollback-and-Restart

These tests call for validators to frequently change their configurations and quickly switch between different versions. Previously, these operations were complicated and prone to errors. However, by using SLV, validators can benefit from:

• Simplified Switch Operations: Complete version and configuration changes with just a few commands
• Reduced Operational Workload: Eliminate manual SSH connections and configuration edits
• High Reliability: Remote management ensures consistent, stable operations

For detailed instructions and release notes, please visit the official release page:

• SLV GitHub Releases: https://github.com/ValidatorsDAO/slv/releases

Future of SLV

SLV is more than just a validator operations tool; it continues to evolve into a comprehensive platform supporting the entire Solana ecosystem. This latest update for Agave and Firedancer is one example of that ongoing progress.

Through continued updates, SLV aims to provide solutions that allow more validators and developers to operate easily and reliably. For the latest information and documentation, please see:

• SLV Documentation: https://slv.dev/
• Validators DAO Official Discord: https://discord.gg/C7ZQSrCkYR