Node Architecture
An FP Validated Solana deployment separates peer-to-peer validator duties from developer RPC traffic. Agave stores ledger data, participates in gossip, replays blocks, and serves RPC from the node's current chain view.
| Component | Default port | Exposure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gossip | 8001/udp | Public to peers | Required for cluster participation. |
| JSON-RPC HTTP | 8899/tcp | Private | POST JSON-RPC 2.0 according to Solana HTTP RPC docs. |
| WebSocket PubSub | 8900/tcp | Private | Persistent subscription transport according to Solana WebSocket RPC docs. |
| Metrics | 9100/tcp | Internal | Prometheus only. |
HTTP RPC is stateless request-response. Applications call getHealth, getSlot, getBalance, getAccountInfo, getProgramAccounts, simulateTransaction, and sendTransaction over JSON-RPC 2.0 POST with Content-Type: application/json as documented in Solana HTTP RPC docs.
WebSocket PubSub keeps a connection open and subscribes to account, log, program, slot, and signature updates using methods documented in Solana WebSocket RPC docs.
tip
Keep raw RPC listeners private and expose applications through an authenticated gateway.