solana-light-token-client

SKILL.md

---
name: light-token-client
description: "For client development with tokens on Solana, Light Token is 200x cheaper than SPL and has minimal changes. Skill includes guides for create mints, associated token accounts, transfer, approve, burn, wrap, and more. @lightprotocol/compressed-token (TypeScript) and light_token_client (Rust)."
metadata:
  source: https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills
  documentation: https://www.zkcompression.com
  openclaw:
    requires:
      env: ["API_KEY"]  # Helius or Triton RPC key; only needed for devnet/mainnet
      config: ["~/.config/solana/id.json"]  # Solana keypair; only needed for devnet/mainnet
      bins: ["node", "cargo"] # node for TS SDK, cargo for Rust SDK examples
---

# Light Token Client SDKs

Client-side cookbook for `@lightprotocol/compressed-token` (TypeScript) and `light_token_client` (Rust). Covers all token operations: create mints, associated token accounts, transfer, approve, revoke, burn, wrap, unwrap, freeze, thaw, close, and load.

| Creation cost     | SPL                 | Light Token          |
| :---------------- | :------------------ | :------------------- |
| **Token account** | ~2,000,000 lamports | ~**11,000** lamports |

## Prerequisites

Examples show both localnet and devnet configurations. For devnet, set:

- `API_KEY` env var — Helius or Triton RPC API key. In production, load from a secrets manager.
- `~/.config/solana/id.json` — local Solana keypair (`solana-keygen new`). In production, load from a secrets manager.

## Workflow

1. **Clarify intent**
   - Recommend plan mode, if it's not activated
   - Use `AskUserQuestion` to resolve blind spots
   - All questions must be resolved before execution
2. **Identify references and skills**
   - Match task to [domain references](#domain-references) below
   - Locate relevant documentation and examples
3. **Write plan file** (YAML task format)
   - Use `AskUserQuestion` for anything unclear — never guess or assume
   - Identify blockers: permissions, dependencies, unknowns
   - Plan must be complete before execution begins
4. **Execute**
   - Use `Task` tool with subagents for parallel research
   - Subagents load skills via `Skill` tool
   - Track progress with `TodoWrite`
5. **When stuck**: ask to spawn a read-only subagent with `Read`, `Glob`, `Grep`, and DeepWiki MCP access, loading `skills/ask-mcp`. Scope reads to skill references, example repos, and docs.

## Domain references

| Task | Reference |
|------|-----------|
| Create a mint | [create-mint.md](references/create-mint.md) |
| Create SPL interface PDA | [create-interface-pda.md](references/create-interface-pda.md) |
| Create associated token account | [create-associated-token-account.md](references/create-associated-token-account.md) |
| Create token account | [create-token-account.md](references/create-token-account.md) |
| Mint tokens | [mint-to.md](references/mint-to.md) |
| Transfer tokens | [transfer-interface.md](references/transfer-interface.md) |
| Transfer checked | [transfer-checked.md](references/transfer-checked.md) |
| Approve delegate | [approve.md](references/approve.md) |
| Revoke delegate | [revoke.md](references/revoke.md) |
| Wrap SPL to Light | [wrap.md](references/wrap.md) |
| Unwrap Light to SPL | [unwrap.md](references/unwrap.md) |
| Load associated token account | [load-associated-token-account.md](references/load-associated-token-account.md) |
| Burn tokens | [burn.md](references/burn.md) |
| Burn checked | [burn-checked.md](references/burn-checked.md) |
| Freeze token account | [freeze.md](references/freeze.md) |
| Thaw token account | [thaw.md](references/thaw.md) |
| Close token account | [close-token-account.md](references/close-token-account.md) |
| Mint SPL, wrap, and transfer | [spl-mint-wrap-transfer.md](references/spl-mint-wrap-transfer.md) |

## Operations overview

| Operation | TypeScript | Rust | Docs |
|-----------|-----------|------|------|
| Create Light mint | `createMintInterface` | `CreateMint` | [create-mint](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/create-mint) |
| Create SPL mint w/ interface PDA | `createMintInterface` + `TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID` | — | [create-mint](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/create-mint) |
| Create T22 mint w/ interface PDA | `createMintInterface` + `TOKEN_2022_PROGRAM_ID` | — | [create-mint](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/create-mint) |
| Add interface PDA to existing mint | `createSplInterface` | — | [create-mint](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/create-mint) |
| Create associated token account | `createAtaInterface` | `CreateAta` | [create-ata](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/create-ata) |
| Create token account | — | `CreateTokenAccount` | [create-token-account](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/create-token-account) |
| Mint to | `mintToInterface` | `MintTo` | [mint-to](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/mint-to) |
| Transfer | `transferInterface` | `TransferInterface` | [transfer-interface](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/transfer-interface) |
| Transfer checked | — | `TransferChecked` | [transfer-checked](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/transfer-checked) |
| Approve | `approve` | `Approve` | [approve-revoke](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/approve-revoke) |
| Revoke | `revoke` | `Revoke` | [approve-revoke](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/approve-revoke) |
| Burn | — | `Burn` | [burn](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/burn) |
| Burn checked | — | `BurnChecked` | [burn](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/burn) |
| Wrap SPL to Light | `wrap` | `Wrap` | [wrap-unwrap](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/wrap-unwrap) |
| Unwrap Light to SPL | `unwrap` | `Unwrap` | [wrap-unwrap](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/wrap-unwrap) |
| Load associated token account (cold to hot) | `loadAta` | — | [load-ata](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/load-ata) |
| Freeze | — | `Freeze` | [freeze-thaw](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/freeze-thaw) |
| Thaw | — | `Thaw` | [freeze-thaw](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/freeze-thaw) |
| Close | — | `Close` | [close-token-account](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/close-token-account) |

## External references

| Resource | Link |
|----------|------|
| Docs cookbook | [zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook](https://zkcompression.com/light-token/cookbook/) |
| TypeScript examples | [examples-light-token/typescript-client](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/examples-light-token/tree/main/typescript-client) |
| Rust examples | [examples-light-token/rust-client](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/examples-light-token/tree/main/rust-client) |
| `@lightprotocol/stateless.js` | [API docs](https://lightprotocol.github.io/light-protocol/stateless.js/index.html) |
| `@lightprotocol/compressed-token` | [API docs](https://lightprotocol.github.io/light-protocol/compressed-token/index.html) |
| `light-client` | [docs.rs](https://docs.rs/light-client/latest/light_client/) |
| `light-token-client` | [docs.rs](https://docs.rs/light-token-client/latest/light_token_client/) |
| `light-token` | [docs.rs](https://docs.rs/light-token/latest/light_token/) |


## Security

This skill does not pull, store, or transmit external secrets. It provides code patterns, documentation references, and development guidance only.

- **Declared dependencies.** Devnet and mainnet examples require `API_KEY` (Helius or Triton RPC key) and read `~/.config/solana/id.json` for the payer keypair. Neither is needed on localnet. In production, load both from a secrets manager.
- **User-provided configuration.** RPC endpoints, wallet keypairs, and authentication tokens are configured in the user's application code. The skill demonstrates patterns — it does not store or transmit secrets.
- **Install source.** `npx skills add Lightprotocol/skills` installs from the public GitHub repository ([Lightprotocol/skills](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills)). Verify the source before running.
- **Subagent scope.** When stuck, the skill asks to spawn a read-only subagent with `Read`, `Glob`, and `Grep` scoped to skill references, example repos, and docs.
- **Audited protocol.** Light Protocol smart contracts are independently audited. Reports are published at [github.com/Lightprotocol/light-protocol/tree/main/audits](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/light-protocol/tree/main/audits).