llms.txt

# ZK Compression by Light Protocol and Helius Labs

> ZK Compression is a framework on Solana for token distribution, stablecoin payments, consumer apps, per-user state, and more.
> The Light SDK and APIs let you create token and PDA accounts without rent-exemption, with a familiar Solana developer experience.

This documentation provides guides, references and tutorials for developers building on Solana.

## Table of contents
- [Primitives](#primitives)
- [AI Agent Resources](#ai-agent-resources)
- [Getting Started](#getting-started)
- [SDK Reference](#sdk-reference)
- [Compressed Tokens](#compressed-tokens)
- [Compressed PDA](#compressed-pda)
- [Custom ZK Applications](#custom-zk-applications)
- [Learn](#learn)
- [Resources](#resources)
- [JSON RPC Methods](#json-rpc-methods)
- [Support](#support)
- [Examples](#examples)
- [OpenAPI Specs](#openapi-specs)

## Primitives
| Primitive        | Use case                                                                                                                                                            | Constraints                                                                              |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Compressed Token | Token use cases such as token distribution, stablecoin payments, and storing balances rent-free. Always compressed and rent-free. Works with SPL and Token-2022. Supported by Phantom and Backpack. | The SPL mint and interface PDA pay rent; individual token accounts do not.               |
| Compressed PDA   | Per-user and app state, nullifiers (payments and ZK applications), DePIN nodes, and stake accounts. Similar to program-derived addresses without a rent-exempt balance. | Programs invoke the Light System Program (not the System Program) with a validity proof. |

View the SDK reference: [https://www.zkcompression.com/api-reference/sdk](https://www.zkcompression.com/api-reference/sdk).

Comparing creation cost:

| Creation          | Solana              | Compressed         |
| :---------------- | :------------------ | :----------------- |
| **Token Account** | ~2,000,000 lamports | **5,000** lamports |

## AI Agent Resources
Install orchestrator agent skill or view [skill.md](https://www.zkcompression.com/skill.md):

```bash
npx skills add https://zkcompression.com
```

Install or view [dedicated agent skills](/ai-tools/overview#agent-skills).

```
npx skills add Lightprotocol/skills
```
- [Agent skills](https://www.zkcompression.com/ai-tools/agent-skills.md): Install structured agent skill files for Token APIs and PDA accounts. Skills tell AI coding agents what they can do with ZK Compression.
- [MCP](https://www.zkcompression.com/ai-tools/mcp.md): Connect AI apps to Light Protocol data sources and tools via the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Includes installation for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and more.
- [AI Prompts](https://www.zkcompression.com/ai-tools/prompts.md): Ready-to-use AI prompts for Light Protocol. Copy a prompt, paste into your AI coding agent, and let it implement the recipe in your project.
- [Orchestration Skill](https://www.zkcompression.com/skill.md): Full agent skill for AI coding agents.
- **Agent Skills:** [compressed-token](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills/tree/main/skills/compressed-token): For token use cases on Solana, such as token distribution, stablecoin payments and more. Works with Token-2022, Privy, Wallet Adapter similarly to SPL.
- **Agent Skills:** [compressed-pda](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills/tree/main/skills/compressed-pda): For program development on Solana with infrequently accessed state, such as per-user state, DePIN registrations, nullifiers, or custom compressed accounts.
- **Agent Skills:** [zk](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills/tree/main/skills/zk): For custom ZK Solana programs and privacy-preserving applications to prevent double spending.
- **Agent Skills:** [testing](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills/tree/main/skills/testing): For testing with Light Protocol programs and clients on localnet, devnet, and mainnet validation.
- **Agent Skills:** [ask-mcp](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills/tree/main/skills/ask-mcp): For questions about compressed accounts, Light SDK, Solana development, Claude Code features, or agent skills.

## Getting Started
- [Welcome to ZK Compression](https://www.zkcompression.com/home.md)

## SDK Reference
- [SDK Reference](https://www.zkcompression.com/api-reference/sdk.md): Client and program SDKs for Compressed Tokens and ZK Compression.

## Compressed Tokens
- [Overview](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/overview.md): Overview to compressed tokens and guides with full code examples. Use for distributing tokens (eg rewards, airdrops) or creating associated token accounts for users.
### Cookbook
- [Create Compressed Token Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/create-compressed-token-accounts.md): Short guide to compressed token account creation with ZK Compression on Solana and difference to regular token accounts.
- [Mint Compressed Tokens](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/mint-compressed-tokens.md): "Mint tokens to compressed token accounts for recipients and increases a mint's token supply. Only the mint authority can perform this operation.
- [Transfer Compressed Tokens](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/transfer-compressed-tokens.md): Transfer compressed tokens between accounts. Transfers consume input accounts and create new output accounts with updated balances.
- [Compress and Decompress SPL Tokens](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/compress-decompress.md): Convert SPL tokens between compressed and regular format with compress() and decompress().
- [Compress Complete SPL Token Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/compress-spl-token-account.md): Compress the entire balance of an SPL token account to reclaim rent. Optionally leave some tokens in SPL format.
- [Create a Mint Account with Interface PDA for Compression](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/create-mint-with-token-pool.md): Create an SPL token mint with an interface PDA for compression. The interface PDA locks tokens while compressed and releases them when decompressed.
- [Create Interface PDAs for Compression to Existing Mints](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/add-token-pools-to-mint-accounts.md): Create an interface PDA for an existing SPL mint. Requires only fee_payer with no mint authority constraint.
- [Merge Compressed Token Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/merge-compressed-token-accounts.md): Consolidate multiple compressed token accounts of the same mint into a single account to reduce fragmentation.
- [Approve and Revoke Delegate Authority](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/guides/delegate.md): Grant and remove delegate spending authority for compressed tokens with approve() and revoke(). Only the token owner can perform these operations.
- [Combine Instructions in One Transaction](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/combine-instructions.md): Guide to combine multiple instructions in a single transaction. Full code example for interface PDA creation and for first-time compression of existing SPL tokens.
### Integration Guides
- [Rent-Free SPL Accounts with Privy](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/privy.md): Integrate compressed tokens with Privy embedded wallets for rent-free SPL token accounts and transfers.
- [Token Distribution Guide](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/token-distribution.md): Complete client and program guides to create an airdrop – with or without code. ZK compression is the most efficient way to distribute SPL tokens.
- [Add Wallet Support for Compressed Tokens](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/wallet-integration.md): Guide to add Compressed Token Support to Your Wallet Application
- [Use Token-2022 with Compression](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-tokens/token-2022.md): Complete guide to mint, compress and transfer tokens with Token-2022 Metadata with ZK Compression.

## Compressed PDA
- [Overview & Program Template](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/overview.md): Compressed PDAs provide full composability and functionality of accounts at PDAs, without rent-exemption cost per account. Suited for accounts where each user or entity gets their own PDA and state is infrequently accessed.
- [Client Guide](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/guides/client-guide.md): Rust and Typescript client guides with step-by-step implementation and full code examples.
- [Program Examples](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/program-examples.md): Program example repository for compressed accounts with tests.
- [Create Nullifier PDAs](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/nullifier-pda.md): For some use cases, such as sending payments, you might want to prevent your on chain instruction from being executed more than once.
- [Solana Attestation Service (Devnet)](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/solana-attestation-service.md): Credential system for KYC verification, professional badges, and compliance credentials in minutes. Currently undergoing audit. On mainnet today, you can integrate compressed PDAs to achieve similar functionality.
### Program Guides
- [Overview](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/guides.md): Overview to guides for Solana programs to create, update, close, reinitialize, and burn permanently compressed accounts.
- [Create Compressed Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/guides/how-to-create-compressed-accounts.md): Guide to create compressed accounts in Solana programs with full code examples.
- [Update Compressed Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/guides/how-to-update-compressed-accounts.md): Guide to update compressed accounts in Solana programs with full code examples.
- [Close Compressed Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/guides/how-to-close-compressed-accounts.md): Guide to close compressed accounts in Solana programs with full code examples.
- [Reinitialize Compressed Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/guides/how-to-reinitialize-compressed-accounts.md): Guide to reinitialize compressed accounts in Solana programs with full code examples.
- [Burn Compressed Accounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/compressed-pdas/guides/how-to-burn-compressed-accounts.md): Guide to burn compressed accounts in Solana programs with full code examples.

## Custom ZK Applications
- [Primitives for ZK on Solana](https://www.zkcompression.com/zk/overview.md): Overview how to build a ZK program on Solana.
- [Examples](https://www.zkcompression.com/zk/examples.md): Example projects for building ZK programs on Solana.

## Learn
### Core Concepts
- [High-level System Overview](https://www.zkcompression.com/learn/overview.md): Overview to ZK Compression's Core Concepts. Get a high-level system overview and learn about the compressed account model, lifecycle of a transaction, and considerations.
- [Compressed Account Model](https://www.zkcompression.com/learn/compressed-account-model.md): Overview to compressed accounts and comparison to Solana accounts.
- [Merkle trees and Validity Proofs](https://www.zkcompression.com/learn/merkle-trees-validity-proofs.md): Learn the core concepts of state trees, address trees, and validity proofs for compressed accounts.
- [Lifecycle of a Transaction](https://www.zkcompression.com/learn/transaction-lifecycle.md): Overview to the lifecycle of a transaction that interacts with compressed accounts.
- [Considerations](https://www.zkcompression.com/learn/considerations.md): Overview to considerations of ZK Compression, namely larger transaction size, higher compute unit usage, and per-transaction state cost.

## Resources
- [Guide to Migrate from v1 to v2 Merkle trees](https://www.zkcompression.com/resources/migration-v1-to-v2.md): V2 reduces CU consumption by up to 70%. V1 remains supported for existing deployments.
- [Addresses and URLs](https://www.zkcompression.com/resources/addresses-and-urls.md): Overview to all of ZK Compression's RPC URLs, Program IDs & Accounts and Lookup Tables.
- [Security](https://www.zkcompression.com/resources/security.md): Overview to Light Protocol's bug bounty program, third party security audits, and formal verification of circuits.
### Error Cheatsheet
- [Error Cheatsheet](https://www.zkcompression.com/resources/error-cheatsheet.md): Complete error code reference for ZK Compression. Search error codes with hex values and messages.
- [Debug ProofVerificationFailed (0x179b)](https://www.zkcompression.com/resources/error-cheatsheet/debug-0x179b-6043-proofverificationfailed.md): Common cause and debug steps for ProofVerificationFailed (0x179B / 6043)

## JSON RPC Methods
- [JSON RPC Methods](https://www.zkcompression.com/api-reference/json-rpc-methods/overview.md): Photon indexer methods for querying compressed state on Solana.

## Support
- [Support](https://www.zkcompression.com/support.md): Get expert help with Compressed Tokens and ZK Compression. Discord community, Telegram, and Email support available.

## Examples
- [compressed-token-cookbook](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/examples-zk-compression/tree/main/compressed-token-cookbook): Action-level and instruction-level examples for every compressed token operation, plus wallet integration.
- [example-token-distribution](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/examples-zk-compression/tree/main/example-token-distribution): Simple and optimized batched airdrop flows, with a decompress-on-claim pattern.
- [program-examples](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples): Compressed PDA programs (counter, basic operations, create-and-update, nullifier, zk-id) in Anchor, native, and Pinocchio.

## OpenAPI Specs
- [api](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/api.yaml)
- [getColdMint](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getColdMint.yaml)
- [getColdMintsByAuthority](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getColdMintsByAuthority.yaml)
- [getCompressedAccount](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedAccount.yaml)
- [getCompressedAccountBalance](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedAccountBalance.yaml)
- [getCompressedAccountProof](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedAccountProof.yaml)
- [getCompressedAccountsByOwner](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedAccountsByOwner.yaml)
- [getCompressedBalanceByOwner](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedBalanceByOwner.yaml)
- [getCompressedMintTokenHolders](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedMintTokenHolders.yaml)
- [getCompressedTokenAccountBalance](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedTokenAccountBalance.yaml)
- [getCompressedTokenAccountsByDelegate](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedTokenAccountsByDelegate.yaml)
- [getCompressedTokenAccountsByOwner](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedTokenAccountsByOwner.yaml)
- [getCompressedTokenBalancesByOwner](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedTokenBalancesByOwner.yaml)
- [getCompressedTokenBalancesByOwnerV2](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressedTokenBalancesByOwnerV2.yaml)
- [getCompressionSignaturesForAccount](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressionSignaturesForAccount.yaml)
- [getCompressionSignaturesForAddress](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressionSignaturesForAddress.yaml)
- [getCompressionSignaturesForOwner](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressionSignaturesForOwner.yaml)
- [getCompressionSignaturesForTokenOwner](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getCompressionSignaturesForTokenOwner.yaml)
- [getIndexerHealth](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getIndexerHealth.yaml)
- [getIndexerSlot](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getIndexerSlot.yaml)
- [getLatestCompressionSignatures](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getLatestCompressionSignatures.yaml)
- [getLatestNonVotingSignatures](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getLatestNonVotingSignatures.yaml)
- [getMultipleCompressedAccountProofs](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getMultipleCompressedAccountProofs.yaml)
- [getMultipleCompressedAccounts](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getMultipleCompressedAccounts.yaml)
- [getMultipleNewAddressProofs](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getMultipleNewAddressProofs.yaml)
- [getMultipleNewAddressProofsV2](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getMultipleNewAddressProofsV2.yaml)
- [getQueueElements](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getQueueElements.yaml)
- [getTransactionWithCompressionInfo](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getTransactionWithCompressionInfo.yaml)
- [getValidityProof](https://www.zkcompression.com/openapi/getValidityProof.yaml)