Reader questions
What a first-time reader asks before citing us.
The questions below are the ones that arrive most often in the editors' inbox. They are written for a reader who is deciding whether to trust the shelf, not for an insider.
Sourcing
What counts as a primary source on this shelf?
A Solana Improvement Document (SIMD), a client release note, a recorded validator call, or on-chain account data at a specific slot. Secondary commentary is named, dated, and clearly marked as secondary in the footnote block.
Do you read the SIMDs in full or summarise from summaries?
In full. An entry that summarises a proposal quotes the section it relies on, and the editor has read the whole document, including the discussion thread, before writing the entry. We do not summarise from a tweet.
Update cadence
How do you know an entry is still current?
Every entry has a changelog at the foot of the page. The most recent line states the network version and client release the entry was verified against, and the date of that verification. If a mainnet upgrade has landed since, the line says "pending re-check".
What happens when a network upgrade changes an entry?
The editor re-reads the entry against the new client release, updates the body where the behaviour has changed, and adds a changelog line naming the upgrade and the date. The previous version is kept in the entry's history so a reader can see what was written before.
Conflicts of interest
Do editors hold SOL or run validators?
Some do. Each contributor's profile names what they maintain and discloses any related token position or validator interest. An editor who holds a token does not write the entry that summarises that token's program; an editor who runs a validator does not write the entry on validator economics the same week they changed their own config.
Is the library sponsored by a foundation or RPC provider?
No. The library takes no sponsorship from token issuers, foundations, or RPC providers. Operating costs are met by the editors. The shelf is small on purpose so that the work stays checkable.
Citing an entry
How should I cite an entry in my own writing?
Cite the entry by title, the version date shown in the changelog, and the stable URL on this shelf. For example: "Stake accounts", Mentisarcway, version of 14 September 2026, /articles/stake-accounts. The URL does not change between versions; the changelog records what changed.
Can I quote a paragraph in a blog post or paper?
Yes, with attribution and a link to the entry. A short quoted excerpt is welcome. Reproducing an entire entry elsewhere, or presenting an edited excerpt as if it were the editors' current view, is not permitted; see the terms page for the detail.