Geyser Plugin gRPC: What it is and is it worth?
The Geyser architecture in Solana was designed to provide low-latency access to on-chain information without overloading validators, BUT is it worth the investment?
In this article, we will cover:
- Exactly what Geyser is and why it’s essential for intensive workloads in Solana.
- How the gRPC variant within Geyser works.
- Is it worth to implement your own Geyser plugin with a gRPC?
Table of Contents
1. What exactly is Geyser?
The Geyser architecture in Solana was designed to provide low-latency access to on-chain information (accounts, transactions, slots, blocks) without overloading validators with heavy requests like getProgramAccounts.
This is thanks to a system of plugins that forward validator data to other destinations (for example, databases or messaging services). Instead of the validator responding to countless RPC requests, it emits in real time the necessary information to whoever needs it.
2. Why use the Geyser Plugin?
1. Reduced load on the validator
If your validator receives thousands of RPC requests, it may fall behind on the network. Geyser avoids this overload because the validator “pushes” the information in real time without the need for constant polling.
2. Low latency and scalability
It provides immediate access to updates on transactions, accounts, and slots, facilitating the development of applications that need fresh data instantly (e.g., monitoring dashboards, trading bots, etc.).
3. Filtering and configuration capabilities:
Decide exactly what data you need: only transactions with a certain owner, accounts updated by a specific program, and so on. This way, you optimize bandwidth and processing costs.
3. What about the gRPC Geyser Plugin?
The gRPC Geyser Plugin (sometimes called “Yellowstone” or “Dragon’s Mouth”) is the variant in the Geyser architecture most focused on streaming. Its main feature is the implementation of gRPC (HTTP/2 + Protocol Buffers) as a transport layer for:
- Transactions: Receiving details of each on-chain transaction at the moment it’s processed.
- Accounts: Monitoring updates to account states (balances, owners, data).
- Slots and blocks: Knowing which block and slot transactions occurred in.
This allows services like gs node (or any custom implementation) to capture “on the fly” all relevant Solana network activity and process it according to each project’s business rules.
4. Technical Requirements
For implementing this plugin you will need:
1. A Solana node with Geyser support
• Since version 1.16, Solana includes the necessary interface to enable Geyser plugins.
2. gRPC libraries
For instance, in TypeScript, you could use @triton-one/yellowstone-grpc (a popular client for gRPC Geyser).
3. Development environment
• Node.js >= v18, npm, TypeScript, or any language with gRPC support (Go, Rust, Python, etc.).
4. Instances or infrastructure
• In the context of gs node, you might have an endpoint or instance that already exposes gRPC, simplifying the setup.
5. Is It Worth Investing in a Custom Geyser Plugin vs. Using a Premium RPC?
A common question when building Solana applications is whether to invest in operating your own node plus a custom Geyser Plugin, or to use an existing premium RPC provider.
While high-end RPCs may offer excellent throughput and relatively fast update notifications, a Geyser Plugin can deliver near-real-time access to on-chain events by tapping directly into the validator’s internal data flow.
Performance Comparison
| Metric | Premium RPC (High-End) | Geyser Plugin on Your Own Node |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription Update Latency (time to validate the change in the block and confirm) | 10–50 ms after a slot is processed (varies by provider/load) | 1–3 ms (very close to the validator’s internal handling) |
| Latency | 3-5 ms | 0.3-0.6 ms |
| Cost Structure | Subscription/Pay-per-call + potential data egress fees | Infrastructure (dedicated server) + development & maintenance overhead |
| Development Complexity | Low (just integrate existing APIs or websockets) | High (write & maintain custom Rust plugin, handle node ops) |
| Scalability & Control | Shared environment; limited direct control of configs | Full control over node configs, filters, parallelization, etc. |
When a Geyser Plugin Excels
There are 3 instances when you may need a gRPC:
1. Latency-Critical Bots
- Trading Bots (HFT or Arbitrage): Even 100 ms of extra lag can be decisive in highly competitive DeFi trades. A Geyser Plugin enables near-instant reaction to new blocks, transactions, or account updates.
- Sniper Bots: For NFT drops or launch sales, streaming data as soon as a slot is processed helps you submit transactions faster than relying on a shared RPC feed.
- MEV Bots: Extracting maximum value often means analyzing transaction data the moment it hits the validator’s pipeline. A Geyser Plugin can help you see data before most standard RPC subscriptions fire.
2. Fully Customized Data Flow
If you have unique requirements—like applying complex filters, forwarding data directly into a custom analytics engine, or storing partial account updates—you can tailor the plugin logic to your exact needs.
3. Scalability & Control
Hosting your own validator/node plus a Geyser Plugin gives you end-to-end control of configurations, scaling decisions, and operational parameters.
Beneficial if you plan to handle large amounts of data or extremely high request volume that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive on a premium RPC plan.
Cost & Complexity Considerations
Infrastructure & Node Operation
Running your own validator or dedicated node can be resource-intensive. You’ll pay for server-grade hardware or robust cloud instances, plus bandwidth costs.
Development & Maintenance
Implementing a Geyser Plugin requires proficiency in Rust and knowledge of Solana internals. You must also maintain code for protocol updates and bug fixes.
Monitoring & Reliability
A self-managed node + Geyser Plugin means you are responsible for continuous monitoring, logging, backups, and rollback-handling (e.g., if certain slots are skipped or the chain reorganizes).
Bottom Line
Choose a Geyser Plugin when ultra-low latency is your top priority or you have specialized data-processing needs. Trading bots, sniper bots, and MEV strategies can gain a critical edge by receiving updates a fraction of a second earlier than a standard RPC feed.
Choose a Geyser Plugin when ultra-low latency is your top priority
Choose a Premium RPC if your app only needs reasonably fast confirmations (10–50 ms) and you want minimal operational overhead. This approach is simpler but forfeits some real-time advantages.
Ultimately, the decision hinges on how valuable near-instant data is to your business. In scenarios where every millisecond matters—especially in automated on-chain trading—operating a Geyser Plugin can yield tangible benefits that outweigh the costs. In more traditional or less latency-critical apps, a high-quality premium RPC can often provide sufficient speed with far less complexity.
6. Working with gs node and Geyser gRPC
In gs node, Geyser gRPC streaming can be enabled with a very straightforward process:
- Request gRPC access in our discord channel (100% discord allocated)
- Obtain the URL and authentication token.
- Define your filters and commitment, and start receiving real-time data.
And done!
7. Conclusion
The Geyser Plugin in Solana —and especially its gRPC variant— revolutionizes how we obtain on-chain data:
- Less load on the validator
- Lower latency and near-instant data
- Very powerful filtering for transactions and accounts
With gs node integration, your setup will be even simpler, letting you focus on your application’s logic without worrying about the plugin’s underlying complexity. Whether you implement Geyser on your own or use a managed service, the benefits of real-time streaming, low-latency updates, and flexible infrastructure are key to unlocking performance at scale in the Solana ecosystem.
We encourage you to start testing it in your projects, applying best practices for filtering and monitoring to get the most out of the Solana network with a scalable, high-performance approach!
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