> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://lightprotocol-migration.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create a Program with Compressed PDAs

> Overview to compressed PDA core features and guide for program development

Compressed PDAs provide full functionality of accounts at PDAs, without per-account rent cost.

| Creation     | Regular PDA Account | Compressed PDA     | Cost Reduction |
| :----------- | :------------------ | :----------------- | :------------- |
| 100-byte PDA | \~ 0.0016 SOL       | **\~ 0.00001 SOL** | ***160x***     |

Compressed PDAs are derived using a specific program address and seed, like regular PDAs. Custom programs invoke the [Light System program](#user-content-fn-1)\[^1] to create and update accounts, instead of the System program.

#### Compressed PDAs at a Glance

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Rent free PDAs">
    Create accounts at program-derived addresses without upfront rent exempt balance.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Full PDA Functionality">
    Persistent unique identification and program ownership.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Composable">
    CPI support between compressed and regular PDAs.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Start Building

Developing with compressed PDAs works similar to regular PDAs and involves minimal setup:

### Prerequisites

<Info>
  Required versions:

  * **Rust**: 1.86.0 or later
  * **Solana CLI**: 2.2.15
  * **Anchor CLI**: 0.31.1
  * **Zk compression CLI**: 0.27.0 or later
  * **Node.js**: 23.5.0 or later
</Info>

**Install Solana CLI:**

```bash theme={null}
sh -c "$(curl -sSfL https://release.solana.com/v2.2.15/install)"
```

**Install Anchor CLI:**

```bash theme={null}
cargo install --git https://github.com/coral-xyz/anchor avm --force
avm install latest
avm use latest
```

**Install the Light CLI:**

```bash theme={null}
npm -g i @lightprotocol/zk-compression-cli
```

```bash theme={null}
### verify installation
light --version
```

### Initialize your Program

Instantiate a template Solana program with compressed accounts with all required dependencies.

```bash theme={null}
light init testprogram
```

<Info>
  The `light init` command creates only Anchor-based projects . For Pinocchio programs, manually configure dependencies using `light-sdk-pinocchio`.
</Info>

<Accordion title="Dependencies">
  **Rust Crates**

  * `light-sdk` - Core SDK for compressed accounts in native and anchor programs
  * `light-sdk-pinocchio` Core SDK for compressed accounts in pinocchio programs
  * `light-client` - RPC client and indexer for interacting with compressed accounts
  * `light-program-test` - Testing utilities for compressed programs.

  **TypeScript/JavaScript Packages**

  * `@lightprotocol/stateless.js` - Client library for interacting with compressed accounts
  * `@lightprotocol/zk-compression-cli` - Command-line tools for ZK compression development
</Accordion>

### Build and Test

Now `cd testprogram` and run:

```bash theme={null}
anchor build
# Success: Finished `release` profile [optimized] target(s), after compiling.
# Note: Stack offset warnings are expected and don't prevent compilation
```

```bash theme={null}
cargo test-sbf

# Success: test result: ok. 1 passed; 0 failed; 0 ignored
```

### Common Errors

<Accordion title="assert.h file not found - during compilation.">
  ```shellscript theme={null}
  Fix:
  In your terminal, run:
  1. export CC=$(xcrun -find clang)
  2. export SDKROOT=$(xcrun --show-sdk-path)
  3. cargo clean
  4. anchor build


  Example log:
  The following warnings were emitted during compilation:

  warning: blake3@1.5.1: In file included from c/blake3_neon.c:1:
  warning: blake3@1.5.1: c/blake3_impl.h:4:10: fatal error: 'assert.h' file not found
  warning: blake3@1.5.1:     4 | #include <assert.h>
  warning: blake3@1.5.1:       |          ^~~~~~~~~~
  warning: blake3@1.5.1: 1 error generated.

  error: failed to run custom build command for `blake3 v1.5.1`

  Caused by:
    process didn't exit successfully: `/Users/you/testprogram/target/release/build/blake3-ac41d29c2eabe052/build-script-build` (exit status: 1)
    --- stdout
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CARGO_FEATURE_PURE
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CARGO_FEATURE_NO_NEON
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CARGO_FEATURE_NEON
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CARGO_FEATURE_NEON
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CARGO_FEATURE_NO_NEON
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CARGO_FEATURE_PURE
    cargo:rustc-cfg=blake3_neon
    OUT_DIR = Some(/Users/you/testprogram/target/release/build/blake3-735a4c71d985df30/out)
    TARGET = Some(aarch64-apple-darwin)
    OPT_LEVEL = Some(3)
    HOST = Some(aarch64-apple-darwin)
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CC_aarch64-apple-darwin
    CC_aarch64-apple-darwin = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CC_aarch64_apple_darwin
    CC_aarch64_apple_darwin = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=HOST_CC
    HOST_CC = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CC
    CC = Some(/Users/you/.local/share/solana/install/releases/1.18.22/solana-release/bin/sdk/sbf/dependencies/platform-tools/llvm/bin/clang)
    RUSTC_WRAPPER = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CC_ENABLE_DEBUG_OUTPUT
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CRATE_CC_NO_DEFAULTS
    CRATE_CC_NO_DEFAULTS = None
    DEBUG = Some(false)
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET
    MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CFLAGS_aarch64-apple-darwin
    CFLAGS_aarch64-apple-darwin = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CFLAGS_aarch64_apple_darwin
    CFLAGS_aarch64_apple_darwin = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=HOST_CFLAGS
    HOST_CFLAGS = None
    cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=CFLAGS
    CFLAGS = None
    cargo:warning=In file included from c/blake3_neon.c:1:
    cargo:warning=c/blake3_impl.h:4:10: fatal error: 'assert.h' file not found
    cargo:warning=    4 | #include <assert.h>
    cargo:warning=      |          ^~~~~~~~~~
    cargo:warning=1 error generated.

    --- stderr


    error occurred: Command env -u IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET "/Users/you/.local/share/solana/install/releases/1.18.22/solana-release/bin/sdk/sbf/dependencies/platform-tools/llvm/bin/clang" "-O3" "-ffunction-sections" "-fdata-sections" "-fPIC" "--target=arm64-apple-darwin" "-mmacosx-version-min=14.4" "-Wall" "-Wextra" "-std=c11" "-o" "/Users/you/testprogram/target/release/build/blake3-735a4c71d985df30/out/db3b6bfb95261072-blake3_neon.o" "-c" "c/blake3_neon.c" with args clang did not execute successfully (status code exit status: 1).
  ```
</Accordion>

## Program Examples

| Example                                                                                                                  | Description                                                                                                              |
| :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [basic-operations/anchor](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/basic-operations/anchor)           | Anchor programs to create, update, close, reinitialize and burn compressed accounts with Rust and TypeScript tests       |
| [basic-operations/native-rust](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/basic-operations/native-rust) | Native Solana program implementation to create, update, close, reinitialize and burn compressed accounts with Rust tests |
| [Counter (Anchor)](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/counter/anchor)                           | Full compressed account lifecycle (create, increment, decrement, reset, close) using Anchor framework                    |
| [Counter (Native)](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/counter/native)                           | Native Solana program implementation with Rust tests                                                                     |
| [Counter (Pinocchio)](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/counter/pinocchio)                     | Pinocchio implementation using light-sdk-pinocchio with Rust tests                                                       |
| [Create-and-Update](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/create-and-update)                       | Create new compressed accounts and update existing ones within a single instruction and one validity proof               |
| [Read-Only](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/read-only)                                       | Create compressed accounts and read them on-chain                                                                        |
| [Account Comparison](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/account-comparison)                     | Compare compressed accounts with standard Solana accounts                                                                |
| [ZK-ID](https://github.com/Lightprotocol/program-examples/tree/main/zk-id)                                               | Program that uses zero-knowledge proofs for identity verification with compressed accounts                               |

## Next Steps

Start building with compressed accounts using our guides or program examples.