The Quest for the Ultimate Solana Program: From 50KB to 1...

How we built the smallest possible token creator and then hunted for the perfect vanity Program ID

The Challenge

What if we could create a Solana SPL token with zero dependencies and push the absolute limits of program optimization?

This question led us down a rabbit hole of extreme optimization techniques, mathematical probability calculations, and a high-stakes hunt for the perfect vanity Program ID.

Our mission: Create the smallest possible Solana token creator program while maintaining full SPL compatibility.

The result: We achieved a 1.17KB binary (down from typical 50KB+ programs) with only 340 bytes of executable code, then embarked on a mathematical quest to generate a vanity Program ID starting with “EDGE”.

Part 1: The Great Optimization Journey

Starting Point: The Bloat Problem

Most Solana programs using Anchor framework clock in at 80KB+. Even raw SPL Token programs typically weigh 45KB.

We started with a modest 1.6KB program and asked: “How small can we go?”

Phase 1: Eliminate the Constants (247 bytes saved)

Our first breakthrough came from analyzing the binary layout. The program was storing two massive constant arrays:

// ❌ Before: 247 bytes of static data
const MINT_LAYOUT: [u8; 82] = [0, 0, 0, 0, /* ... 78 more zeros */];
const TOKEN_LAYOUT: [u8; 165] = [0, 0, 0, 0, /* ... 161 more zeros */];

The insight: Solana runtime zero-initializes all account data! We were storing zeros to write zeros.

// ✅ After: Direct memory operations
*(mint_data as *mut u32) = 0; // mint_authority_option = None
*(mint_data.add(36) as *mut u64) = 0xde_e9_84_00_00_00_00_00u64; // 1B supply
*(mint_data.add(44) as *mut u16) = 0x0109; // decimals(9) + initialized(1)

Impact: 15% size reduction by eliminating redundant constant arrays.

Phase 2: Memory Operation Surgery

Instead of copying byte arrays, we discovered that direct pointer writes generate more efficient assembly:

// Replace copy_nonoverlapping with targeted u64 writes
*(token_data as *mut u64) = 0x6e7572454447u64;           // "EDGErun"
*(token_data.add(8) as *mut u64) = 0x68636574756e72u64;   // "run.tech"
*(token_data.add(16) as *mut u64) = 0x676568636574u64;    // "tech.edg" 
*(token_data.add(24) as *mut u64) = 0x6e7572656765u64;    // "egerun!!"

This creates a ticker-branded mint address: EDGErun.tech.edgegerun…

Phase 3: Extreme Compiler Optimization

We threw every optimization flag at the problem:

[profile.release]
opt-level = "z"          # Optimize for size (not speed)
lto = true              # Link-time optimization
codegen-units = 1       # Single compilation unit
strip = true            # Remove debug symbols
panic = "abort"         # Minimal panic handling
overflow-checks = false # Skip runtime checks

Phase 4: The Security Insight (88 bytes saved)

We realized that removing the freeze authority wasn’t just an optimization—it was a security feature:

No mint authority = Fixed supply forever (trustless)
No freeze authority = Cannot be frozen (permissionless)
88 bytes saved = Smaller binary

The Final Achievement

Total Binary: 1,168 bytes
├── Executable Code: 340 bytes (29%)  ← THE ACTUAL PROGRAM
├── Data Section: 112 bytes (10%)     ← Constants 
└── ELF Overhead: 716 bytes (61%)     ← File format metadata

Mind-blowing realization: Only 340 bytes are actual executable code! The rest is just ELF file format overhead.

The Real-World Impact: Cost & Security

Deployment Cost Savings

The size reduction has immediate financial benefits on Solana:

Typical 50KB program: ~0.35 SOL deployment cost ($8-15 depending on SOL price)
Our 1.17KB program: ~0.008 SOL deployment cost ($0.20-0.40)
Cost reduction: 95%+ savings on deployment

For developers deploying multiple programs or iterating frequently, this adds up fast. A team deploying 10 programs saves $80-150 per deployment cycle.

Transaction Efficiency

Smaller programs also impact runtime efficiency:

Faster program loading: Less data to read from storage
Reduced network bandwidth: Smaller programs propagate faster across validators
Lower compute units: Less overhead in program execution
Better cache performance: More programs fit in validator memory

The Auditability Advantage

Here’s what’s often overlooked: security through simplicity.

Our optimized program is ~50 lines of core logic vs typical 500+ lines in framework-based programs:

// Our entire token creation logic (simplified)
pub fn create_token(accounts: &[AccountInfo]) -> ProgramResult {
    let [mint_account, token_account, authority] = accounts;
    
    // Initialize mint (8 lines of pointer operations)
    let mint_data = mint_account.try_borrow_mut_data()?;
    *(mint_data.as_mut_ptr() as *mut u32) = 0; // No mint authority
    *(mint_data.as_mut_ptr().add(36) as *mut u64) = 1_000_000_000; // 1B supply
    *(mint_data.as_mut_ptr().add(44) as *mut u16) = 0x0109; // 9 decimals, initialized
    
    // Initialize token account (6 lines)
    let token_data = token_account.try_borrow_mut_data()?;
    // ... brand the token with our ticker
    
    Ok(())
}

Benefits of minimal code:

10-minute audit: Any Rust developer can review the entire program in minutes
Zero external dependencies: No supply chain attacks or hidden vulnerabilities
Clear data flow: Every byte written is explicit and visible
Predictable behavior: No framework magic or hidden state changes

Compare this to a typical Anchor program with dozens of dependencies, macros, and abstraction layers. Which would you trust with your tokens?

The Compound Effect

These benefits multiply across the ecosystem:

Validators run faster: Less storage I/O, more efficient caching
Network scales better: Smaller programs = more capacity
Developers move faster: Quick deploys, instant audits
Users save money: Lower transaction costs passed through

Part 2: The Mathematics of Vanity

With our ultra-optimized program complete, we faced a new challenge: How do we get a Program ID that starts with “EDGE”?

Enter the world of vanity Program ID hunting.

The Probability Problem

Solana Program IDs use Base58 encoding with 58 possible characters. For a 4-character prefix like “EDGE”:

Probability: 1 in 58⁴ = 1 in 11,316,496
Expected attempts: ~11.3 million
At 300 keypairs/second: ~10.5 hours

We built a sophisticated calculator to analyze different patterns:

def calculate_vanity_probabilities():
    patterns = [
        ("1 character (e.g., 'E')", 1),      # ~58 attempts
        ("2 characters (e.g., 'ED')", 2),    # ~3,364 attempts  
        ("3 characters (e.g., 'EDG')", 3),   # ~195,112 attempts
        ("4 characters (e.g., 'EDGE')", 4),  # ~11.3M attempts
    ]

The Engineering Challenge

Generating 11.3 million keypairs sequentially would take forever.

Solution: Parallel processing with 16 workers.

Our hunt script spawned 16 processes, each generating keypairs independently:

def worker_hunt(worker_id, attempts_counter, found_queue, target_pattern="EDGE"):
    while not shutdown_flag.value and not found_flag.value:
        result = subprocess.run([
            'solana-keygen', 'new', 
            '--no-bip39-passphrase',  # Skip passphrase for speed
            '--silent',               # No output
            '--no-outfile'           # Don't write files (fastest)
        ], capture_output=True, text=True)
        
        # Check if generated pubkey starts with target
        if pubkey.startswith(target_pattern):
            found_flag.value = 1
            found_queue.put({'pubkey': pubkey, 'worker_id': worker_id})
            return

The Hunt Begins

With 16 cores churning at ~5,000 attempts/second combined, our terminal filled with progress updates:

📊 Progress: 256,300/11,316,496 (2.26%) | Rate: 5115/sec (recent: 4680/sec) | ETA: 06:14:29
Worker  1: 22,000 attempts, 322.4/sec
Worker  2: 22,000 attempts, 321.7/sec
Worker  3: 22,000 attempts, 321.6/sec
...

The mathematics working in real-time.

Part 3: Key Insights and Discoveries

On Optimization

Every byte matters: In blockchain programs, binary size directly impacts deployment costs and performance.
The ELF ceiling: 61% of our binary is unavoidable ELF overhead. We’ve hit the theoretical limit without changing Solana’s file format.
Zero dependencies unlock extreme optimization: By implementing SPL Token structures manually, we eliminated all external crate overhead.
Security through simplicity: Removing features (freeze authority) simultaneously improved security and reduced size.

On Vanity Generation

Exponential difficulty: Each additional character makes the search 58x harder. “EDG” takes minutes, “EDGE” takes hours, “EDGER” takes weeks.
Parallelization is key: 16 cores reduced our expected hunt time from 10+ hours to ~6 hours.
The psychology of probability: Even with perfect mathematics, luck plays a huge role. We could find it in 10 minutes or 20 hours.
Infrastructure optimization matters: Fast CPUs, SSDs, and optimized flags (--no-outfile) significantly impact generation speed.

On Base58 Mathematics

The Base58 encoding creates fascinating probability landscapes:

“A” prefix: 1 in 58 chance (~2 seconds)
“AA” prefix: 1 in 3,364 chance (~3 minutes)
“AAA” prefix: 1 in 195,112 chance (~3 hours)
“AAAA” prefix: 1 in 11,316,496 chance (~6+ hours)

The lesson: Choose your vanity patterns wisely based on your patience and compute budget.

Part 4: The Bigger Picture

Why This Matters

Our journey demonstrates several important principles:

Optimization as craftsmanship: There’s deep satisfaction in pushing systems to their absolute limits.
Mathematical foundations: Understanding probability theory helps set realistic expectations for computational searches.
Resource trade-offs: Time, compute power, and probability form a complex optimization surface.
Security through minimalism: Smaller programs have fewer attack surfaces and are easier to audit.
Economic impact: 95% cost reduction isn’t just impressive—it’s transformative for developer economics.
Network effects: When everyone optimizes, the entire blockchain becomes more efficient and scalable.

Real-World Applications

The techniques we developed have broader applications:

Embedded blockchain programs: Where every byte costs gas or storage
High-frequency deployment: Smaller programs deploy faster
Educational tools: Demonstrating blockchain primitives without framework abstraction
Vanity address services: Mathematical framework for pricing difficulty tiers

The Human Element

Beyond the technical achievements, this project highlighted the intersection of:

Engineering discipline: Systematic optimization through measurement
Mathematical modeling: Probability theory guiding resource allocation
Computational patience: Letting machines work while we sleep
Community sharing: Open-sourcing tools for others to build upon

The Tools We Built

Our journey produced three key tools:

Edge Launch: Ultra-minimal Solana token creator (1.17KB)
Vanity Calculator: Mathematical analysis of hunt difficulty
Parallel Hunter: 16-core optimized vanity Program ID search

All open source and ready for the community to use and improve.

What’s Next?

As we write this, our hunt continues in the background:

📊 Progress: 362,600/11,316,496 (3.20%) | Rate: 5172/sec (recent: 5370/sec) | ETA: 06:14:05

The mathematics suggest we’re about 15% through the expected search space.

Whether we find our “EDGE” Program ID in the next hour or the next day, the journey has already been worth it. We’ve pushed the boundaries of optimization, built useful tools, and gained deep insights into the mathematics of computational searches.

Technical Specifications

Final Program Stats

Binary Size: 1.17KB (vs 50KB+ typical)
Executable Code: 340 bytes
Dependencies: Zero external crates
Functionality: SPL token creation with ticker branding
Security: No mint/freeze authority (immutable)

Hunt Parameters

Target: Program IDs starting with “EDGE”
Expected Attempts: 11,316,496
Parallel Workers: 16 processes
Current Rate: ~5,000 attempts/second
Estimated Time: 6-7 hours

Repository

All code, tools, and documentation available at: EdgeRun GitHub

The quest for optimization never ends. Whether you’re building the next breakthrough protocol or hunting for the perfect vanity address, remember: every byte matters, every probability counts, and every optimization teaches us something new about the systems we’re building.

Status update: Hunt in progress… 🎯

Want to try your own vanity hunt? Check out our tools and start your own mathematical adventure. The blockchain is waiting for your perfectly optimized contribution.