Solana Web3.js vs Anchor
Last updated: April 7, 2026
S |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | (0) | (0) |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Health | Unknown | Healthy |
| Chain | solana only | solana only |
| Open Source | ||
| Features | 0 features | 8 features |
| Upvotes | ▲ 0 | ▲ 0 |
| Twitter Followers | 20,649 | 8,012 |
| Categories | SDKs & Libraries | Developer Tools, SDKs & Libraries |
| Description | Official JavaScript SDK for building Solana applications | The standard framework for building Solana programs |
Pros & Cons
Solana Web3.js
No pros/cons data yet.
Anchor
- Industry standard — used by the vast majority of Solana programs
- Dramatically reduces Solana development complexity and boilerplate
- Strong security defaults catch common vulnerabilities automatically
- Excellent TypeScript SDK generation enables rapid frontend development
- Large community with extensive tutorials, examples, and documentation
- Abstraction adds overhead — programs are slightly larger than hand-written native code
- Framework updates can require code migration for existing programs
- Learning curve for Rust and Solana's account model still exists
- Debug tooling could be more robust for complex multi-program interactions
Solana Web3.js vs Anchor: Which Should You Choose?
Overview
Solana Web3.js Solana Web3.js (evolving into Solana Kit under Anza) is the official JavaScript/TypeScript SDK for interacting with the Solana blockchain. V2 is fully tree-shakable and up to 10x faster for cryptograp... Anchor Anchor is the standard development framework for building Solana programs (smart contracts), used by the vast majority of Solana developers. Created by Armani Ferrante, Anchor provides a Rust-based fr...
Community Ratings
Both Solana Web3.js and Anchor hold similar community ratings, suggesting users find comparable value in each. Your choice should come down to specific features, pricing, and ecosystem fit rather than overall score.
Pricing & Value
Solana Web3.js uses a free model, while Anchor is free — Free and open source.. Both tools are free, so cost isn't a deciding factor — focus on features and reliability instead.
Key Features
Solana Web3.js does not have detailed feature data yet. Anchor counters with 8 features including Declarative Rust macros for simplified Solana program development, Automatic account serialization and deserialization, Built-in account constraint validation and security checks, and 5 more.
Reliability & Health
We monitor both tools around the clock for uptime, SSL validity, and response times. Solana Web3.js currently has a unknown health status. Anchor is rated healthy with 100.0% uptime. For tools you rely on daily — especially trading bots or wallets — uptime and speed are non-negotiable.
Strengths
Anchor stands out for industry standard — used by the vast majority of solana programs, dramatically reduces solana development complexity and boilerplate, strong security defaults catch common vulnerabilities automatically.
The Verdict
Both Solana Web3.js and Anchor operate in the sdks & libraries space, so this is a direct head-to-head. Neither has a clear community advantage, so your decision should be feature-driven. We recommend trying both — Solana Web3.js is free to start and Anchor is free to start. Read user reviews on each tool's page for real-world feedback from the Solana community.