The Solana documentation describes the Solana open source project, a blockchain built from the ground up to scale. So what is a Solana Cluster and what are SOLs. Let's find out by reading the article below.
What is a Solana Cluster?
A Solana Cluster refers to a group of independent computers collaborating to verify the output of programs submitted by untrusted users. It functions as a system that maintains an immutable record of events or programmatic interpretations of those events. The cluster generates a ledger, which is a record of events, and this ledger remains persistent throughout the cluster's lifespan. As long as at least one copy of the ledger is maintained by someone in the world, the program's output can be replicated, ensuring its independence from the organization that initiated it. The Solana Cluster serves various purposes, such as tracking meaningful work within the cluster or monitoring ownership of real-world assets.
What are SOLs?
SOL is the native token of the Solana blockchain. Within a Solana Cluster, SOL tokens can be exchanged with nodes in return for executing an on-chain program or validating its output. The system supports micropayments in the form of small amounts of SOL called lamports , with each lamport having a value of 0.000000001 SOL. This naming pays tribute to Leslie Lamport, a significant influence on Solana's technical development.
The aim of Solana's architecture is to showcase a set of software algorithms that, when combined to form a blockchain implementation, eliminate software as a performance bottleneck. This approach enables transaction throughput to scale in proportion to network bandwidth.
I hope this explanation clarifies the concept of a Solana Cluster and provides an understanding of what are SOLs within the Solana ecosystem.
