FAQ

General

What is Turnpike?

Turnpike is a high-performance trading API for Solana tokens, offering sub-25ms execution times, institutional-grade security, and real-time market data streaming.

How do I get started?

1. Sign up at turnpike.dev

2. Generate an API key from your dashboard

3. Choose your integration method (Lightning, Local, or WebSocket)

4. Start building with our Getting Started guide

Which integration method should I use?

• Lightning API: Best for rapid development and automated trading bots

• Local Transaction API: Best for maximum security and institutional applications

• WebSocket API: Best for real-time data and monitoring

You can use multiple methods in the same application.

Authentication & Security

How do I keep my API key secure?

• Store API keys in environment variables, never in code

• Only use API keys on the server-side, never in client-side code

• Rotate keys regularly

• Never commit keys to version control

Can I use the API from the browser?

You should never expose your API key in client-side JavaScript. Instead:

• Make API calls from your backend server

• Use the Local Transaction API to build transactions server-side

• Have users sign transactions in their browser wallet

What happens if my API key is compromised?

Immediately:

1. Go to your dashboard

2. Delete the compromised key

3. Generate a new key

4. Update your application with the new key

Rate Limits & Pricing

What are the rate limits?

Plan	Requests/Minute	WebSocket Connections
Standard	100	5
Premium	1,000	20
Enterprise	Custom	Custom

See Rate Limits for details.

How do I upgrade my plan?

Visit turnpike.dev/pricing and select your desired plan. Upgrades take effect immediately.

What happens if I exceed my rate limit?

You'll receive a 429 Too Many Requests response. Implement exponential backoff and retry logic. See Error Handling.

Trading

What's the minimum trade amount?

• Minimum: 0.001 SOL

• Maximum: 100 SOL (can be increased for Enterprise plans)

How is slippage calculated?

Slippage is the maximum acceptable price difference between when you submit the trade and when it executes. Set it as a percentage (e.g., 10 = 10%).

What's the typical confirmation time?

Trades typically confirm in 2-5 seconds on Solana. You can monitor confirmation status using the transaction signature.

Can I cancel a transaction?

Once submitted to the blockchain, transactions cannot be cancelled. However, transactions that haven't been processed yet will expire after their lastValidBlockHeight.

WebSocket

How do I handle disconnections?

Implement automatic reconnection with exponential backoff. See WebSocket Examples.

What's the difference between subscribing to 'trades' vs a specific token?

• trades: All trades across all tokens

• {MINT_ADDRESS}: Only events for that specific token

Can I subscribe to multiple tokens?

Yes! Include multiple mint addresses in the keys array when subscribing.

Local Transactions

Why would I use local transactions?

Local transactions provide:

• Complete control over transaction signing

• Ability to use your own RPC endpoint

• Full transparency - you can inspect transactions before signing

• Maximum security - private keys never leave your system

How long are transactions valid?

Transactions expire at the lastValidBlockHeight returned in the response, typically 60 seconds after creation. Send them promptly.

Can I modify the transaction before signing?

While technically possible, we strongly recommend against it as modifications may cause the transaction to fail.

Errors & Troubleshooting

I'm getting "INSUFFICIENT_BALANCE" errors

Ensure your wallet has enough SOL to cover:

• The trade amount

• Transaction fees (typically 0.000005 SOL)

• Priority fees (if specified)

I'm getting "SLIPPAGE_EXCEEDED" errors

The token price moved beyond your acceptable slippage. Try:

• Increasing your slippage tolerance

• Trading when the market is less volatile

• Using smaller trade amounts

My transaction is stuck as "pending"

Solana transactions typically confirm in seconds. If pending for >30 seconds:

1. Check the transaction on a Solana explorer

2. Verify the transaction signature is correct

3. Check network congestion at Status Page

I'm getting "INVALID_MINT" errors

• Verify the token mint address is correct

• Ensure the token exists on Solana mainnet

• Check if the token has sufficient liquidity

Support

How do I get help?

• Documentation: Search these docs

• Status Page: Check turnpike.dev/status

• Twitter: @turnpikedev

• Email: [email protected]

Is there a Discord or community?

Follow @turnpikedev on Twitter for community updates and announcements.

How do I report bugs?

Email [email protected] with:

• Detailed description of the issue

• Steps to reproduce

• Request IDs or transaction signatures

• Your plan tier

Best Practices

Should I implement retry logic?

Yes! Implement exponential backoff for:

• Rate limit errors (always retry)

• Network errors (retry with backoff)

• Slippage errors (retry with increased slippage)

Don't retry:

• Invalid parameters

• Insufficient balance

• Invalid mint addresses

How should I handle transaction confirmations?

Always wait for transaction confirmation before considering a trade complete. Use the signature to query confirmation status.

What's the best way to monitor my API usage?

Check your dashboard at turnpike.dev/dashboard for:

• Real-time usage metrics

• Historical data

• Rate limit consumption

• Cost analysis