Overview

Network Extensions (NEs) are infrastructure solutions that enhance Solana’s core capabilities. They can function independently or as part of a rollup, allowing developers to optimize performance, privacy, and data handling while keeping applications fully integrated with Solana L1.

NEs are ideal for:

• High-throughput applications – Reduce congestion and improve execution speed.

• Private or permissioned computation – Run isolated workloads without modifying Solana’s state.

• Data-intensive networks – Store, compress, and retrieve large volumes of off-chain data efficiently.

How It Works

1. Pick a module – Use execution, privacy, or data-focused modules based on your needs.

2. Deploy within Solana – Plug-n-Play with modules which interact directly with Solana L1.

3. Optimize performance – Execute transactions efficiently while staying within Solana’s framework.

While the NE stack is a framework, NE modules are individual, specialized components. Developers can use them individually or together as needed.

For instance, the modules can work together to build a standard rollup but also function independently—whether to isolate execution in a permissioned environment, generate ZK proofs over SVM computation for privacy, or compress data for data-intensive applications.

The module system has a unique approach compared to existing architectures: