> ## 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.

# How to Find the IDL for a Solana Program

> Learn how to use Orb, a new Solana block explorer, to research programs including transactions, IDLs, verification status, upgrade authority, and more.

IDL stands for Interface Definition Language.

In Solana, IDLs describe the structure of an on-chain program and express how other on-chain programs can compose with them. Orb has tagged over 2,000 Solana programs to make it easier to find and compose with them.

<Tip>
  **NEW**: Use Orb's [Solana Program Directory](https://orbmarkets.io/programs) to explore over 2,000 tagged programs across DeFi, PropAMMs, payments, DePIN, and more.
</Tip>

For this example, let's use [DFlow's v4 aggregator program](https://orbmarkets.io/address/DF1ow4tspfHX9JwWJsAb9epbkA8hmpSEAtxXy1V27QBH/history?cluster=mainnet-beta).

To find a Solana program, go to Orb's home page and search for the program by name in the search bar, and then click on the result.

<Frame caption="Orb search results for DFlow, including the DFlow Aggregator v4 program.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/helius/GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx/images/orb/explore-programs/search-for-solana-programs-on-the-orb-explorer.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx&q=85&s=727e71517c2e64b906b24e7abbd0fb9d" alt="Orb search results for DFlow, including the DFlow Aggregator v4 program" width="3456" height="1944" data-path="images/orb/explore-programs/search-for-solana-programs-on-the-orb-explorer.jpg" />
</Frame>

## Program History

In the **History** section, you'll see all of the recent transactions. For more details on [how to inspect a transaction using a block explorer](/orb/explore-transactions), see our transaction exploration guide.

<Frame caption="Recent transaction history for the DFlow Aggregator v4 program.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/helius/GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx/images/orb/explore-programs/dflow-program-transaction-history-tab-in-orb.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx&q=85&s=423fe418ed51373b6cd449534572c145" alt="Recent transaction history for the DFlow Aggregator v4 program" width="3456" height="1944" data-path="images/orb/explore-programs/dflow-program-transaction-history-tab-in-orb.jpg" />
</Frame>

For the purposes of this guide, we'll dive straight to the **IDL** tab.

## Program IDL

The IDL viewer shows the parsed instructions, accounts, types, events, and errors. To view the raw JSON output, click the "Show JSON" toggle in the top right corner.

Expanding the dropdown menu reveals all required parameters and details.

For example, expanding the **Types** section reveals a list of swap actions related to various DEXs, such as WhirlpoolsSwap, ClearpoolsSwap, and RaydiumAmmSwap.

<Frame caption="DFlow Aggregator v4 program IDL.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/helius/GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx/images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-idl-viewer-with-json-parsed-results.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx&q=85&s=b23e08d21d3f74c1a3bba63033364f22" alt="DFlow Aggregator v4 program IDL" width="2784" height="1566" data-path="images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-idl-viewer-with-json-parsed-results.jpg" />
</Frame>

## Program Verification

A [verified program](https://solana.com/docs/programs/verified-builds) on Solana is a deployed program whose on-chain binary exactly matches the publicly available source code. This is typically done using tools like Ellipsis Labs' [verified build CLI](https://github.com/Ellipsis-Labs/solana-verifiable-build) tool.

For this example, we'll use [Privacy Cash](https://orbmarkets.io/address/9fhQBbumKEFuXtMBDw8AaQyAjCorLGJQiS3skWZdQyQD/history?cluster=mainnet-beta), a Solana program for private token transfers.

To view the verification status, hash, date, signer, or repo, click the **Verification** tab.

<Frame caption="Verified build page for Privacy Cash on Orb">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/helius/GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx/images/orb/explore-programs/verified-solana-progam-build-on-the-orb-block-explorer.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx&q=85&s=4ee4b49f100021e613a11f19b727a23c" alt="Verified build page for Privacy Cash on Orb" width="2464" height="1386" data-path="images/orb/explore-programs/verified-solana-progam-build-on-the-orb-block-explorer.jpg" />
</Frame>

For more details, click the **Show Structure** button to view the repository layout. This view pulls in the verified build and enables you to see the full repo structure on Orb.

<Frame caption="Privacy Cash’s verified program repository structure on Orb with the lib.rs file open.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/helius/GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx/images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-github-repository-structure-on-the-orb-explorer.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx&q=85&s=df90d61a28d725bd24db3cd03d56bea9" alt="Privacy Cash's verified program repository structure on Orb with the lib.rs file open" width="2688" height="1512" data-path="images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-github-repository-structure-on-the-orb-explorer.jpg" />
</Frame>

## Program Security.txt

A `security.txt` file is a standardized way for Solana program developers to define their security policies, provide contact information for security auditors, and establish clear guidelines for reporting security vulnerabilities.

The below example is from the [Phoenix Program](https://orbmarkets.io/address/PhoeNiXZ8ByJGLkxNfZRnkUfjvmuYqLR89jjFHGqdXY/security-txt?cluster=mainnet-beta), built by Ellipsis Labs.

<Frame caption="Security.txt file for the Phoenix Program including security contacts, policy links, and source code.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/helius/GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx/images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-security-txt-file-example-phoenix-program-on-orb-explorer.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx&q=85&s=d35e79071a7f6c0a0531322396ce20de" alt="Security.txt file for the Phoenix program (built by Ellipsis Labs) on Solana" width="2912" height="1638" data-path="images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-security-txt-file-example-phoenix-program-on-orb-explorer.jpg" />
</Frame>

## Program Authority

On Solana, programs are upgradeable by default, and the power to upgrade a program's code lies with its upgrade authority.

Looking at the **Authority** tab in DFlow's Aggregator v4 program, we see that the upgrade authority is a Squads multisig with a 2/2 threshold (i.e., exactly 2 signers must sign program upgrade transactions).

<Frame caption="DFlow Aggregator v4 upgrade authority page.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/helius/GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx/images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-multisig-authority-viewer-on-the-orb-explorer.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=GK_UEjIuMAXci0nx&q=85&s=02935ae7b066792ff301f00d6eea4852" alt="DFlow Aggregator v4 upgrade authority page" width="2592" height="1458" data-path="images/orb/explore-programs/solana-program-multisig-authority-viewer-on-the-orb-explorer.jpg" />
</Frame>

## Conclusion

Composability is one of Solana's greatest strengths. By publishing IDLs on-chain and verifying builds, any company building on Solana can permissionlessly interact with any other program deployed on-chain.

To get started, try [Orb](https://orbmarkets.io/) today.

For more tutorials on Orb, read our articles on:

* [Exploring Top Solana Validators](https://www.helius.dev/docs/orb/explore-validators)
* [Researching Top Solana Markets](https://www.helius.dev/docs/orb/explore-markets)
* [Using Orb on Solana Devnet](https://www.helius.dev/docs/orb/explore-devnet)