CPI Basics

10 examples to get you started with CPIs - 7 basic and 3 intermediate.

Prerequisites

• Native program entrypoint familiarity.
• Account meta ordering from Working with Pubkeys.

Basic Examples

1. Simple invoke

Call System Program transfer from your program.

use solana_program::program::invoke;
use solana_program::system_instruction;
 
invoke(
  &system_instruction::transfer(from.key, to.key, lamports),
  &[from.clone(), to.clone()],
)?;

• Callee program id is embedded in Instruction.
• Accounts must match callee expectations.
• Return ? to bubble CPI errors.

2. Instruction struct

Build Instruction with program id, accounts, data.

use solana_program::instruction::{AccountMeta, Instruction};
 
let ix = Instruction {
  program_id: *token_program.key, // Pubkey by value; `key` is a field on AccountInfo
  accounts: vec![/* AccountMeta */],
  data: vec![/* opcode */],
};

• Instruction.program_id is a Pubkey, so dereference AccountInfo::key (&Pubkey). In Anchor, token_program.key() resolves instead via the Key trait.
• Data layout must match callee program.
• Prefer helper crates (spl-token) for encoding.
• Program id wrong = IncorrectProgramId.

3. Clone AccountInfo

Invoke needs owned AccountInfo references in slice.

&[payer.clone(), vault.clone(), system_program.clone()]

• clone on AccountInfo is cheap ref clone.
• Order matches AccountMeta order.
• Include program accounts as readonly unless writable required.

4. CPI error propagation

Failed CPI fails your instruction.

invoke(&ix, accounts).map_err(|e| {
  solana_program::msg!("cpi failed");
  e
})?;

• Entire transaction rolls back on CPI error.
• Map errors if you need custom codes.
• Logs may include callee program errors.

5. Program account in CPI

Pass token/system program account readonly.

let system_program = next_account_info(iter)?;
if system_program.key != &system_program::ID {
  return Err(ProgramError::IncorrectProgramId);
}

• Validate program ids before invoke.
• Executable accounts are program accounts.
• Never pass wrong program id.

6. Signer requirements

CPI cannot add signatures wallets did not provide.

if !payer.is_signer {
  return Err(ProgramError::MissingRequiredSignature);
}

• Exception: PDAs via invoke_signed.
• Debit from user requires user signer.
• PDA debit requires program seeds.

7. Read-only CPI

Some CPIs only read callee state.

// e.g. reading oracle - still passes accounts

• Writable flag must be false if not mutating.
• Over-writable metas are audit findings.
• Follow callee interface docs.

Intermediate Examples

8. invoke_signed for PDA

Program signs CPI on behalf of PDA.

invoke_signed(&ix, accounts, &[&[b"vault", &[bump]]])?;

• Seeds must match PDA derivation.
• Required for token authority PDAs.
• See invoke vs invoke_signed page.

Related: invoke vs invoke_signed

9. SPL token transfer CPI

Transfer tokens with token program.

use spl_token::instruction as token_ix;
 
let ix = token_ix::transfer(
  token_program.key,
  source.key,
  dest.key,
  authority.key,
  &[],
  amount,
)?;
invoke(&ix, &[source.clone(), dest.clone(), authority.clone(), token_program.clone()])?;

• Authority must sign or be PDA with invoke_signed.
• Validate mint matching across accounts.
• Use checked amount math before CPI.

Related: CPI to SPL Token

10. CPI depth awareness

CPIs can call programs that CPI again - max depth 4.

// Your program -> Token -> ... depth budget

• Deep chains cost CUs.
• Design flat CPI graphs when possible.
• See CPI Depth & Limits.

Related: CPI Depth & Limits

Stack versions: This page was written for Agave 4.1.1, Solana CLI 3.0.10, Anchor 0.32.1, anchor-lang 0.32.1, Rust 1.91.1, @solana/kit 7.0.0, Surfpool 0.12.0, and LiteSVM 0.6.x.