As blockchain applications become more data-driven, the need for complete and uninterrupted access to historical blockchain data is growing. If you’re building on the Solana blockchain and your project relies on historical state, transactions, or account changes, then using a Solana archive node is not optional — it’s essential.
Archive Node vs Full Node: What’s the Difference?
| Feature | Full Node | Archive Node |
|---|---|---|
| Stores full transaction history | ❌ | ✅ |
| Stores recent state only | ✅ | ❌ |
| Supports historical state queries | ❌ | ✅ |
| Suitable for syncing wallets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Suitable for deep analytics | ❌ | ✅ |
This comparison highlights a key point: full nodes are suitable for everyday applications like syncing wallets or submitting recent transactions. But if your product depends on historical accuracy, transparency, or long-term blockchain data, a Solana archive node is required.
What Is a Solana Archive Node?
A Solana archive node is a specialized version of a blockchain node that stores the entire history of the Solana network — every block, every transaction, and every state change since genesis. It does not prune data and can respond to in-depth historical queries that standard nodes cannot.
In other words, it is the foundation for any service or product that needs a complete and accurate view of Solana’s chain history.
Why You Might Need Archive Node Access
Solana archival node access is essential for various real-world use cases:
On-Chain Analytics and Research
Track and analyze user behavior, protocol usage, token movement, or NFT minting trends over time with high precision.
Security and Compliance
Investigate historical account activity for audits, due diligence, or forensic analysis. Prove exactly what happened on-chain, and when.
Building Indexers and Explorers
If you’re creating a tool that visualizes blockchain activity — whether for tokens, DAOs, or DeFi apps — you need access to every historical state and event.
Data Science and Machine Learning
Archive nodes provide the time-series data necessary for modeling, prediction, and real-time analytics based on historical behavior.
Request Solana Archive Node Access
Need historical Solana data? NOWNodes can help.
Contact our team to request access to a fully synced Solana archive node. We’ll help you get started, configure your endpoint, and offer ongoing support.
Submit a request through email. Our team will get back to you promptly.
BTW, you can test our Shared Solana Nodes NOW: just sign in and get your API Key!
