The primer
What a quantum computer would actually break, what the NIST replacements cost in bytes, and how that collides with the way Solana authorises transactions. Written for engineers, reviewed against the published standards, and deliberately free of predictions.
Chapters
| # | Chapter | Level | Read | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Shor, Grover and what a quantum computer actually breaks Which cryptography a large fault-tolerant quantum computer would break, which it would only dent, and why the difference matters for Solana keys. | Beginner | 7 min | |
| 02 | Ed25519 vs ML-DSA: keys, signatures, sizes How Ed25519 and the NIST lattice signature ML-DSA work, what their keys and signatures contain, and the published byte sizes that drive every migration decision. | Intermediate | 9 min | |
| 03 | ML-KEM and hybrid key exchange (X25519 + ML-KEM-768) What a key-encapsulation mechanism is, how ML-KEM-768 is combined with X25519 in hybrid key exchange, and where Solana builders actually need it. | Intermediate | 7 min | |
| 04 | How Solana authorises transactions, and where post-quantum signatures hit limits A walk through Solana's transaction format, signer verification, the Ed25519 precompile, PDAs and durable nonces, and the exact places where post-quantum key and signature sizes collide with them. | Intermediate | 8 min | |
| 05 | Crypto-agility and a migration plan A five-step migration plan for Solana teams (inventory, prioritise, prototype, dual-sign, cut over) plus what crypto-agility means in code and how wallet key management changes. | Advanced | 8 min |
- §01Beginner
Shor, Grover and what a quantum computer actually breaks
Which cryptography a large fault-tolerant quantum computer would break, which it would only dent, and why the difference matters for Solana keys.
7 min · reviewed Oct 2026 - §02Intermediate
Ed25519 vs ML-DSA: keys, signatures, sizes
How Ed25519 and the NIST lattice signature ML-DSA work, what their keys and signatures contain, and the published byte sizes that drive every migration decision.
9 min · reviewed Oct 2026 - §03Intermediate
ML-KEM and hybrid key exchange (X25519 + ML-KEM-768)
What a key-encapsulation mechanism is, how ML-KEM-768 is combined with X25519 in hybrid key exchange, and where Solana builders actually need it.
7 min · reviewed Oct 2026 - §04Intermediate
How Solana authorises transactions, and where post-quantum signatures hit limits
A walk through Solana's transaction format, signer verification, the Ed25519 precompile, PDAs and durable nonces, and the exact places where post-quantum key and signature sizes collide with them.
8 min · reviewed Oct 2026 - §05Advanced
Crypto-agility and a migration plan
A five-step migration plan for Solana teams (inventory, prioritise, prototype, dual-sign, cut over) plus what crypto-agility means in code and how wallet key management changes.
8 min · reviewed Oct 2026
Chapters build on each other, but each stands alone. Beginners should start at 01; if you already know why Ed25519 is quantum-vulnerable, jump to 04.
Every chapter lists the standards it cites (FIPS 203, 204, 205, RFC 8032 and others) and links to the primary documents. Sizes are published parameters, not measurements.
Each chapter carries the month it was last checked against the standards and the Solana protocol. Post-quantum guidance moves; check the date.
Educational material. The primer explains published standards and the current Solana protocol. It does not predict when a quantum attack will be possible, does not describe any shipped post-quantum feature on Solana mainnet, and is not security, legal or financial advice. For practical usage of the tools, see the docs.