Block Operations
resource: block — the current tip of the chain. No credential required.
latestSlot
Returns the most recent slot the RPC node has processed for the given cluster. No fields beyond the shared cluster key.
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
cluster | select | No | See Clusters. Defaults to Solana:DefaultCluster. |
Example response:
{
"slot": 301458219
}
Slot vs. block: Solana identifies chain progress by slot number, a
fixed-interval clock tick (roughly every 400ms) — not every slot necessarily produces a block (a
validator can skip its slot).
latestSlot reflects the RPC node's own view under the
cluster's configured commitment level, so a processed
cluster will report a higher (less final) slot than a finalized one at the same instant.
Typical Uses
- Health-checking that a configured cluster/RPC endpoint is reachable and current before running a larger workflow.
- Recording a "high-water mark" slot before submitting a transaction, to later confirm enough slots have passed for finality.
- Simple liveness/heartbeat step in a scheduled workflow that watches chain activity.