---
title: Getting Started
description: Install LiteSVM and write your first tests.
---

# Quick Start Guide

This guide covers the basics: how to create an account, fund an account, and
send a transaction.

<Steps>

<Step>
### Install Dependencies

<Tabs items={['Rust', 'TypeScript']} groupId="litesvm-lang">
<Tab value="Rust">

Add LiteSVM to your dev dependencies:

```bash
cargo add --dev litesvm
```

Several Solana crates enhance the testing experience by providing essential
types and utilities. You can use the `solana-sdk` convenience crate or the
individual component crates:

```bash
cargo add --dev solana-sdk
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="TypeScript">

<Tabs items={['pnpm', 'npm', 'yarn', 'bun']}>
<Tab value="pnpm">

```bash
pnpm add @solana/kit @solana/kit-plugin-litesvm @solana/kit-plugin-signer @solana-program/system
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="npm">

```bash
npm install @solana/kit @solana/kit-plugin-litesvm @solana/kit-plugin-signer @solana-program/system
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="yarn">

```bash
yarn add @solana/kit @solana/kit-plugin-litesvm @solana/kit-plugin-signer @solana-program/system
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="bun">

```bash
bun add @solana/kit @solana/kit-plugin-litesvm @solana/kit-plugin-signer @solana-program/system
```

</Tab>
</Tabs>

</Tab>
</Tabs>

</Step>

<Step>
### Create Test File

<Tabs items={['Rust', 'TypeScript']} groupId="litesvm-lang">
<Tab value="Rust">

Inside your workspace, create a folder for `tests`.

```bash
mkdir tests
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="TypeScript">

Create a new TypeScript file for your test.

```bash
touch basic-test.ts
```

</Tab>
</Tabs>

</Step>

<Step>
### Create and Fund an Account

<Tabs items={['Rust', 'TypeScript']} groupId="litesvm-lang">
<Tab value="Rust">

Let's write your first LiteSVM test.

Inside your `tests` folder, create a new file and copy this code:

```rust title="tests/create_account.rs"
use litesvm::LiteSVM;
use solana_sdk::signature::{Keypair, Signer};

#[test]
fn create_account() {
    // Create the test environment
    let mut svm = LiteSVM::new();

    // Create a test account
    let user = Keypair::new();

    // Fund the account with SOL
    svm.airdrop(&user.pubkey(), 1_000_000_000).unwrap();

    // Check the balance
    let balance = svm.get_balance(&user.pubkey()).unwrap();
    assert_eq!(balance, 1_000_000_000);

    println!("Account funded with {} SOL", balance as f64 / 1e9);
}
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="TypeScript">

Copy this code into your test file:

```typescript title="basic-test.ts"
import { createClient, generateKeyPairSigner, lamports } from "@solana/kit";
import { litesvm } from "@solana/kit-plugin-litesvm";
import { signer } from "@solana/kit-plugin-signer";

// Payer first, then the LiteSVM transport.
const mySigner = await generateKeyPairSigner();
const client = createClient().use(signer(mySigner)).use(litesvm());

// Fund the payer and check balance
client.svm.airdrop(client.payer.address, lamports(5_000_000_000n));
const balance = client.svm.getBalance(client.payer.address);
console.log("Balance:", balance, "lamports");
```

</Tab>
</Tabs>

</Step>

<Step>
### Run Your Test

<Tabs items={['Rust', 'TypeScript']} groupId="litesvm-lang">
<Tab value="Rust">

```bash
cargo test create_account -- --show-output
```

You should see:

```
running 1 test
test create_account ... ok

successes:

---- create_account stdout ----
Account funded with 1 SOL


successes:
    create_account
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="TypeScript">

```bash
npx tsx basic-test.ts
```

You should see:

```
Balance: 5000000000n lamports
```

</Tab>
</Tabs>

<Callout type="info">
  **That's it!** You just made your first litesvm test, that covers creating an
  account and funding it.
</Callout>

</Step>

<Step>
### Execute a Transaction

Now let's create a transfer transaction.

<Tabs items={['Rust', 'TypeScript']} groupId="litesvm-lang">
<Tab value="Rust">

Create a new test file and copy this code:

```rust title="tests/transfer_test.rs"
use litesvm::LiteSVM;
use solana_sdk::{
    signature::{Keypair, Signer},
    system_instruction,
    transaction::Transaction,
};

#[test]
fn test_transfer() {
    let mut svm = LiteSVM::new();

    // Create two accounts
    let alice = Keypair::new();
    let bob = Keypair::new();

    // Fund Alice
    svm.airdrop(&alice.pubkey(), 2_000_000_000).unwrap();

    // Create transfer instruction
    let transfer = system_instruction::transfer(
        &alice.pubkey(),
        &bob.pubkey(),
        1_000_000_000, // 1 SOL
    );

    // Build and sign transaction
    let tx = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(
        &[transfer],
        Some(&alice.pubkey()),
        &[&alice],
        svm.latest_blockhash(),
    );

    // Send it (execution happens immediately)
    svm.send_transaction(tx).unwrap();

    // Check new balances
    assert_eq!(svm.get_balance(&bob.pubkey()).unwrap(), 1_000_000_000);
    assert!(svm.get_balance(&alice.pubkey()).unwrap() < 1_000_000_000);

    println!("Transfer successful!");
}
```

</Tab>
<Tab value="TypeScript">

Create a new file and copy this code:

```typescript title="transfer-test.ts"
import { createClient, generateKeyPairSigner, lamports } from "@solana/kit";
import { litesvm } from "@solana/kit-plugin-litesvm";
import { signer } from "@solana/kit-plugin-signer";
import { systemProgram } from "@solana-program/system";

// Payer first, then the LiteSVM transport, then program plugins.
const mySigner = await generateKeyPairSigner();
const client = createClient()
  .use(signer(mySigner))
  .use(litesvm())
  .use(systemProgram());
const recipient = await generateKeyPairSigner();

// Airdrop SOL to the payer
client.svm.airdrop(client.payer.address, lamports(2_000_000_000n));

// Build and send the transfer
await client.system.instructions
  .transferSol({
    source: client.payer,
    destination: recipient.address,
    amount: lamports(1_000_000_000n) // 1 SOL
  })
  .sendTransaction();

// Check new balances
const recipientBalance = client.svm.getBalance(recipient.address) ?? 0n;
console.log("Recipient balance:", Number(recipientBalance) / 1e9, "SOL");
console.log("Transfer successful!");
```

</Tab>
</Tabs>

<Callout type="info">
  **Test complete!** This test covers executing the transfer instruction from
  the system program.
</Callout>

</Step>

<Step>
### Run All Tests

<Tabs items={['Rust', 'TypeScript']} groupId="litesvm-lang">
<Tab value="Rust">

```bash
cargo test -- --show-output
```

You should see:

```
running 1 test
test create_account ... ok

successes:

---- create_account stdout ----
Account funded with 1 SOL


successes:
    create_account

test result: ok. 1 passed; 0 failed; 0 ignored; 0 measured; 0 filtered out; finished in 0.04s

     Running tests/test_transfer.rs (target/debug/deps/test_transfer-f174954e7483f36b)

running 1 test
test test_transfer ... ok

successes:

---- test_transfer stdout ----
Transfer successful!


successes:
    test_transfer

test result: ok. 1 passed; 0 failed; 0 ignored; 0 measured; 0 filtered out; finished in 0.04s

```

</Tab>
<Tab value="TypeScript">

```bash
npx tsx basic-test.ts && npx tsx transfer-test.ts
```

You should see:

```
Balance: 5000000000n lamports
Recipient balance: 1 SOL
Transfer successful!
```

</Tab>
</Tabs>

<Callout type="info">
  **That's it!** Now you've successfully made litesvm tests that create and fund accounts and execute transactions.
</Callout>
</Step>

</Steps>

## Next Steps

**[Why LiteSVM →](/docs/tools/litesvm/core-concepts)** Learn why you would want
to use LiteSVM for testing

<Tabs items={["Rust", "TypeScript"]} groupId="litesvm-lang">
  <Tab value="Rust">
    **[Testing Your Program →](/docs/tools/litesvm/testing-your-program)** Learn
    how to test your own Solana program <br /> **[Examples
    →](/docs/tools/litesvm/examples)** View copy-paste solutions for common
    scenarios and full repository examples <br /> **[API Reference
    →](/docs/tools/litesvm/api-reference)** Learn advanced features and custom
    configurations
  </Tab>
  <Tab value="TypeScript">
    **[Testing Your Program →](/docs/tools/litesvm/typescript/getting-started)**
    Learn how to test your own Solana program using LiteSVM for TypeScript{" "}
    <br /> **[Examples →](/docs/tools/litesvm/typescript/examples)** View
    copy-paste solutions for common scenarios <br /> **[API Reference
    →](/docs/tools/litesvm/typescript/api-reference)** Learn advanced features
    and custom configurations
  </Tab>
</Tabs>