> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.helius.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Solana Data Streaming

> Stream real-time Solana blocks, account updates, transaction data, and blockchain events. LaserStream gRPC, LaserStream WebSocket, Webhooks, and Shred Delivery solutions.

## What is data streaming on Solana?

Data streaming allows applications to receive real-time updates from the Solana blockchain as events occur on-chain. Instead of repeatedly polling for updates, streaming establishes persistent connections that push data to your application instantly when transactions are processed, accounts change, or blocks are produced.

This is essential for applications that require up-to-the-second data such as:

* **Trading applications** monitoring price changes and liquidations
* **DeFi protocols** tracking user interactions and state changes
* **NFT marketplaces** detecting sales, listings, and transfers
* **Analytics platforms** collecting comprehensive blockchain metrics
* **Wallets** showing real-time balance and transaction updates

## Why choose Helius for data streaming?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Ultra-Low Latency" icon="bolt">
    Direct connections to Solana leaders ensure sub-second data delivery
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enterprise Reliability" icon="shield-check">
    Multi-node redundancy and automatic failover for 99.9% uptime
  </Card>

  <Card title="24-Hour Historical Replay" icon="clock-rotate-left">
    Never miss data with automatic backfill capabilities
  </Card>

  <Card title="Global Infrastructure" icon="globe">
    Endpoints in multiple regions for optimal performance worldwide
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Which streaming solution should I use?

Pick the product that matches **what stage of the data you need** and **how your app wants to consume it**. The table below maps each option to its delivery shape and the type of workloads it's best suited to.

| Solution                                                    | Best for                                                      | Protocol   | Latency           | Plan                                                     | Replay |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| **[Shred Delivery](/shred-delivery)** (raw / pre-processed) | HFT, MEV, arbitrage — pre-execution data                      | UDP / gRPC | Earliest possible | All plans ([paid add-on](/billing/plans#shred-delivery)) | ❌      |
| **[LaserStream gRPC](/laserstream)**                        | Mission-critical backends, indexers, multi-region failover    | gRPC       | Ultra-low         | Business+ (Mainnet), All plans (Devnet)                  | ✅ 24h  |
| **[LaserStream WebSocket](/rpc/websocket)**                 | Web apps, real-time UIs, broad client compatibility           | WebSocket  | Low               | Free+                                                    | ❌      |
| **[Webhooks](/webhooks)**                                   | Server-to-server event notifications, low-volume integrations | HTTP POST  | Push (variable)   | Free+                                                    | ❌      |

<Tip>
  Not sure which to pick? Most production apps start with **LaserStream gRPC** for backends and **LaserStream WebSocket** for browser/UI clients. **Webhooks** are great when you don't want to maintain a persistent connection. **Shred Delivery** is purpose-built for sub-millisecond trading strategies — including its **preprocessed transactions** mode that arrives \~8 ms ahead of `processed`.
</Tip>

### Pick by what you're optimizing for

The shred-based products and LaserStream's commitment levels sit at different points in the transaction lifecycle. What you're trying to receive matters as much as the protocol:

| Goal                                            | Fastest path                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Earliest transaction signal**                 | **Raw shreds (UDP)** → **Preprocessed transactions (gRPC)** (\~8 ms ahead of `processed`) → LaserStream gRPC at `processed`                                                                                                                   |
| **Earliest account / program updates**          | **LaserStream gRPC at `processed`** — shreds and preprocessed transactions only carry transaction data, not account state. Account updates are produced by the runtime during execution, so they aren't available until processing completes. |
| **Earliest confirmed transactions or accounts** | **LaserStream gRPC at `confirmed`** — fastest commitment level that won't roll back                                                                                                                                                           |

<Note>
  **Common gotcha:** if you need real-time account or program state changes (for example, monitoring an AMM's bonding-curve account or a user's token balance), **Shred Delivery does not help** — those updates simply don't exist at the shred stage. Use LaserStream gRPC at `processed` instead.
</Note>

## Helius Streaming Solutions

### Shred Delivery

[Shred Delivery](/shred-delivery) is Helius's pre-execution data product. It ships in two flavors:

* **[Raw shreds (UDP)](/shred-delivery/raw-shreds)** — the earliest possible signal. Helius is a [top validator](https://www.helius.dev/validator) by stake, so we receive shreds before lower-stake validators and non-staked RPC nodes. You implement the deshredding yourself. Available on all plans; each seat is \$1,000/month per IP (\$800/month per IP on Pro plans). [Subscribe in your Helius Dashboard](https://dashboard.helius.dev/shred-delivery-seats) - no manual provisioning required.
* **[Preprocessed transactions (gRPC, Public Beta)](/shred-delivery/preprocessed-transactions)** — decoded shreds. Skips the deshredding step and delivers transactions \~8 ms ahead of the `processed` commitment level on average. Available to any Professional plan subscriber at **20 credits per 1 MB**.

#### Best For

Pre-execution data is ideal for latency-critical strategies where milliseconds determine profitability:

* High-frequency trading desks
* Arbitrage traders
* Liquidation systems
* MEV searchers

<Tip>
  Ready to receive raw shreds? [Subscribe in your Helius Dashboard](https://dashboard.helius.dev/shred-delivery-seats).
</Tip>

### LaserStream gRPC (All plans Devnet, Business+ Mainnet)

[LaserStream gRPC](/laserstream) provides ultra low-latency data streaming via gRPC, with advanced features such as historical replay, automatic reconnects, and multi-node reliability. LaserStream is wire-compatible with the open Yellowstone gRPC protocol, so any Yellowstone client works.

#### Key Features

* Turnkey: Get faster gRPC streams without the headaches of managing hardware or upgrades
* 24-Hour Historical Replay: Automatically backfill up to 24 hours of missed data
* Auto-Reconnection: Built-in connection management with intelligent retry logic
* Global Endpoints: Available in [9 regions](/laserstream/grpc#mainnet-endpoints) worldwide for optimal latency
* Yellowstone-Compatible: Drop-in replacement for existing `@triton-one/yellowstone-grpc` setups

#### Best For

* Backend services
* High-throughput applications
* Mission-critical systems requiring guaranteed data delivery

<Tip>
  Get started with LaserStream from your [Helius Dashboard](https://dashboard.helius.dev/laserstream). Mainnet requires a Business or Professional plan; Devnet is available on Developer and above. See [Plans & Pricing](/billing/plans) for details.
</Tip>

### LaserStream WebSocket

[LaserStream WebSocket](/rpc/websocket) is the WebSocket-protocol variant of LaserStream. It serves the standard Solana JSON-RPC subscription methods (`accountSubscribe`, `programSubscribe`, `logsSubscribe`, …) alongside Helius-specific extensions like `transactionSubscribe` for advanced filtering, all on the same unified endpoint and powered by the same LaserStream backend as the gRPC product.

#### Key Features

* Full Solana compatibility: works with any Solana WebSocket client library
* Helius extensions: `transactionSubscribe` and an enhanced `accountSubscribe` for richer filtering
* Up to 200 ms faster than standard Agave RPC-based WebSockets
* Unified endpoint: `wss://mainnet.helius-rpc.com` and `wss://devnet.helius-rpc.com` for both standard and Helius-extended methods

#### Best For

Real-time frontend apps, moderate-volume backends, broad ecosystem compatibility

### Webhooks

Event-driven, server-to-server [webhook](/webhooks) notifications for on-chain activities delivered to your endpoints.

#### Key Features

* Parsed Event Data: Human-readable transaction data for sales, swaps, and more
* Multiple Types: Enhanced, raw, and Discord webhook options
* Transaction Filtering: Subscribe to specific event types and addresses
* Reliable Delivery: Automatic retries and delivery confirmations

#### Best For

Event-driven architectures, notifications, integrations with external services

## Getting Started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose Your Solution">
    Select the streaming method that best fits your app requirements and infra.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get Your API Key">
    Sign up at [dashboard.helius.dev](https://dashboard.helius.dev) and obtain your API key.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Follow the Quickstart">
    Each solution has dedicated quickstart guides and code examples.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Monitor & Scale">
    Use the Helius dashboard to monitor usage and scale your plan as needed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Card title="Data Streaming Quickstart" icon="play" href="/data-streaming/quickstart">
  Get up and running with your first streaming connection in minutes
</Card>

## Support & Community

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Documentation" icon="book-open" href="/api-reference">
    Comprehensive API references and guides for all streaming methods
  </Card>

  <Card title="Discord Community" icon="discord" href="https://discord.com/invite/6GXdee3gBj">
    Join thousands of developers building on Solana with Helius
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enterprise Support" icon="headset" href="/support">
    Priority support channels for business and professional customers
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Ready to start streaming Solana data?

Choose your preferred method above and dive into the documentation!