Airdrop

Distribute compressed tokens to multiple recipients using TypeScript client.

Disclaimer: This guide demonstrates efficient token distribution on Solana using ZK compression. It does not constitute financial advice and does not endorse any specific token or project.

Workflow

1. Clarify intent
2. Recommend plan mode, if it's not activated
3. Use AskUserQuestion to resolve blind spots
4. All questions must be resolved before execution
5. Identify references and skills
6. Match task to distribution approaches below
7. Locate relevant documentation and examples
8. Write plan file (YAML task format)
9. Use AskUserQuestion for anything unclear — never guess or assume
10. Identify blockers: permissions, dependencies, unknowns
11. Plan must be complete before execution begins
12. Execute
13. Use Task tool with subagents for parallel research
14. Subagents load skills via Skill tool
15. Track progress with TodoWrite
16. When stuck: ask to spawn a read-only subagent with Read, Glob, Grep, and DeepWiki MCP access, loading skills/ask-mcp. Scope reads to skill references, example repos, and docs.

Distribution via Client

Cost Comparison

Claim Program Reference Implementations

Customize token distribution and let users claim.

Simple Implementation: simple-claim - Distributes compressed tokens that get decompressed on claim.

Advanced Implementation: distributor - Distributes SPL tokens, uses compressed PDAs to track claims. Based on jito Merkle distributor.

The programs are reference implementations and not audited. The Light Protocol Programs are audited and live on Solana Mainnet.

Cost

Core Pattern

import { CompressedTokenProgram, getTokenPoolInfos, selectTokenPoolInfo } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token";
import { bn, createRpc, selectStateTreeInfo, buildAndSignTx, sendAndConfirmTx } from "@lightprotocol/stateless.js";
import { ComputeBudgetProgram } from "@solana/web3.js";

const rpc = createRpc(RPC_ENDPOINT);

// 1. Get infrastructure
const treeInfo = selectStateTreeInfo(await rpc.getStateTreeInfos());
const tokenPoolInfo = selectTokenPoolInfo(await getTokenPoolInfos(rpc, mint));

// 2. Build compress instruction (SPL → compressed to multiple recipients)
const ix = await CompressedTokenProgram.compress({
  payer: payer.publicKey,
  owner: payer.publicKey,
  source: sourceAta.address,           // SPL associated token account holding tokens
  toAddress: recipients,                // PublicKey[]
  amount: recipients.map(() => bn(amount)),
  mint,
  tokenPoolInfo,
  outputStateTreeInfo: treeInfo,
});

// 3. Send with compute budget (120k CU per recipient)
const instructions = [
  ComputeBudgetProgram.setComputeUnitLimit({ units: 120_000 * recipients.length }),
  ix,
];
const { blockhash } = await rpc.getLatestBlockhash();
const tx = buildAndSignTx(instructions, payer, blockhash, []);
await sendAndConfirmTx(rpc, tx);

Setup: Create Mint

import { createMint } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token";
import { getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount, mintTo } from "@solana/spl-token";

const { mint } = await createMint(rpc, payer, payer.publicKey, 9);
const ata = await getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount(rpc, payer, mint, payer.publicKey);
await mintTo(rpc, payer, mint, ata.address, payer.publicKey, 100_000_000_000);

Compute Units

Lookup Tables

Reduce transaction size:

Advanced: Claim-Based

For vesting, clawback, or user-initiated claims:

Resources

• Docs: Airdrop Guide
• Code: examples-light-token
• Tool: Airship by Helius

SDK references

Security

This skill provides code patterns and documentation references only.

• Declared dependencies. Reference examples require HELIUS_API_KEY (RPC provider key) and a payer keypair for signing transactions. Neither is needed for read-only or localnet testing. In production, load both from a secrets manager — never hard-code private keys.
• Filesystem scope. Read, Glob, and Grep must be limited to the current project directory and skill references. Do not read outside these paths.
• Subagent scope. When stuck, the skill asks to spawn a read-only subagent with Read, Glob, Grep scoped to skill references, example repos, and docs.
• Install source. npx skills add Lightprotocol/skills from Lightprotocol/skills.
• Audited protocol. Light Protocol smart contracts are independently audited. Reports are published at github.com/Lightprotocol/light-protocol/tree/main/audits.