WebSocket connection optimization on Solana: log subscription acceleration
As a developer working with Solana, you are probably familiar with its fast and scalable blockchain platform. However, when it comes to real-time log subscriptions via WebSockets, latency can be a significant bottleneck. In this article, we’ll look at ways to optimize Solana’s WebSocket connection, paying particular attention to reducing the approximately 17-second latency caused by the log subscription method.
current issue
When using the subscribe method with jsonrpc version 2.0, the Solana implementation has a default timeout of 17 seconds. This means that if you are not actively monitoring the journal subscription process, it may take about 17 seconds to receive a response.
WebSocket Connection Optimization
To speed up journal subscription and reduce latency, we need to examine the underlying code that handles this request. Let’s take a look at how Solana implements this method:
const Log = {
subscribe: async (channelName) => {
const socket = new WebsocketChannel(channelName);
await socket.onMessage((message) => {
// Process the log message here...
});
return socket;
},
};
async function main() {
const channelName = 'my_channel_name';
const logSubscription = await Log.subscribe(channelName);
try {
while (true) {
const message = await logSubscription.send(JSON.stringify({
jsonrpc: '2.0',
method: 'getLogCount',
params: [channelName],
}));
console.log(message);
}
} catch (error) {
// Processing errors here...
}
}
WebSocket Connection Improvement
Based on our analysis, we can improve the WebSocket connection by optimizing the subscribe method and using more advanced WebSocket features.
- Use a dedicated WebSocket channel
: Instead of using the 2.0 default
jsonrpc, consider creating a separate WebSocket channel for each log subscription request. This will reduce the overhead associated with the default timeout.
const Log = {
subscribe: async (channelName) => {
const socket = new WebsocketChannel(channelName);
return socket;
},
};
- Implement a Message Queue: Implement a message queue for asynchronous processing of log messages. This will allow you to process messages at your own pace, rather than relying on direct WebSocket callbacks.
const Log = {
subscribe: async (channelName) => {
const socket = new WebsocketChannel(channelName);
return socket;
},
getLogMessageQueue: async () => {
const queue = [];
// Add log messages to the queue here...
return queue;
},
};
- Use a more efficient message format: Consider using a more efficient message format, such as
Bufferinstead ofJSON, which will reduce deserialization overhead.
const Log = {
subscribe: async (channelName) => {
const socket = new WebsocketChannel(channelName);
return socket;
},
};
Conclusion
By applying these optimizations, you can significantly reduce the delay of about 17 seconds associated with journal subscription in Solana. This will allow you to receive real-time log data and react accordingly, ensuring that your application remains responsive and efficient.
Be sure to test these changes in a development environment before deploying them to production. Happy coding!