Set Up Yellowstone gRPC for Low-Latency Solana Streams

Yellowstone gRPC gives you validator-level streams

Yellowstone gRPC (a Geyser plugin) streams account updates, transactions and slots directly from the validator with lower latency than regular RPC polling or WebSocket. For latency-sensitive bots this is the fastest way to detect on-chain events. The setup is small: install the client, connect to your endpoint, then subscribe with explicit filters so the stream only sends data your app can use.

What you need

• Node.js 18+
• A gRPC endpoint + token (available on dedicated nodes / Yellowstone gRPC)

Step 1: Install the client

npm install @triton-one/yellowstone-grpc

Step 2: Connect

import Client, { CommitmentLevel } from '@triton-one/yellowstone-grpc';

const client = new Client(process.env.YELLOWSTONE_GRPC_ENDPOINT!, process.env.YELLOWSTONE_GRPC_TOKEN!, undefined);
await client.connect();
const version = await client.getVersion();
console.log('Connected:', version);

Step 3: Subscribe to a program's transactions

For example the Pump.fun program, to see every interaction:

const stream = await client.subscribe();

stream.on('data', (data) => {
  if (data.transaction) {
    console.log('Tx:', data.transaction.transaction.signature);
  }
});

stream.write({
  transactions: {
    pumpfun: {
      accountInclude: ['6EF8rrecthR5Dkzon8Nwu78hRvfCKubJ14M5uBEwF6P'],
      accountExclude: [],
      accountRequired: [],
      failed: false,
      vote: false,
    },
  },
  commitment: 'processed',
  accounts: {},
  slots: {},
  blocks: {},
  blocksMeta: {},
  entry: {},
  accountsDataSlice: [],
  transactionsStatus: {},
});

Step 4: Subscribe to account updates

stream.write({
  accounts: {
    myAccounts: { account: [TARGET_ACCOUNT], owner: [], filters: [] },
  },
  commitment: 'processed',
  transactions: {},
  slots: {},
  blocks: {},
  blocksMeta: {},
  entry: {},
  accountsDataSlice: [],
  transactionsStatus: {},
});

Step 5: Keep the stream healthy

stream.on('error', (e) => { console.error(e); /* reconnect logic */ });
stream.on('end', () => { /* reconnect */ });

FAQ

What's the difference between Yellowstone gRPC and WebSocket?

gRPC streams at Geyser level directly from the validator with lower latency and higher throughput; WebSocket RPC sits a layer above. For detection-critical bots gRPC is faster.

When do I need gRPC?

For HFT, MEV and arbitrage where you must see events before the competition. For dashboards and most apps a data API or WebSocket is enough.

Does this work on a shared node?

gRPC/Geyser belongs to dedicated infrastructure; see Solana Dedicated Nodes.

Related: Reduce Solana RPC latency ->

Download the example

Clone the full runnable project on GitHub, npm install && npm start with your keys in .env. See the tutorial for step-by-step context.