Overview

Metaplex Core ("Core") is the next-generation NFT standard on Solana. It uses a single-account design that reduces minting costs by 80%+ compared to alternatives, while providing enforced royalties, collection-level operations, and a flexible plugin system for custom behaviors.

Summary

Metaplex Core is a Solana NFT standard that replaces Token Metadata for most new projects. It offers the lowest minting costs, enforced royalties, and a plugin architecture for custom functionality.

• Single-account design: ~0.0029 SOL per mint (vs 0.022 SOL for Token Metadata)
• Enforced royalties by default with allowlist/denylist controls
• Plugin system for staking, attributes, delegates, and custom behaviors
• Collection-level operations: freeze, update royalties, or modify all assets at once

Out of Scope

This overview does not cover: fungible tokens (use SPL Token), Token Metadata migration paths, or detailed plugin implementation. See specific pages for those topics.

Quick Start

Jump to: Getting Started · Key Advantages · FAQ · Glossary

1. Install the SDK: npm install @metaplex-foundation/mpl-core
2. Create an Asset: Creating Assets guide
3. Add plugins: Plugins overview
4. Query with DAS: Fetching Assets

Introduction

Metaplex Core is the recommended NFT standard for new projects on Solana. Compared to Token Metadata and other standards, Core provides:

Cost Efficiency

Key Advantages

• Single Account Design: Core uses one account per asset instead of multiple (mint + metadata + token account). This reduces costs and simplifies development.
• Enforced Royalties: The Royalties plugin enforces creator royalties by default with allowlist/denylist controls.
• Collection-Level Operations: Update royalties, freeze assets, or modify metadata for an entire collection in a single transaction.
• Plugin Architecture: Add custom behaviors to assets via plugins:
  • Freeze Delegate - Allow others to freeze/unfreeze
  • Burn Delegate - Allow others to burn
  • Attributes - On-chain key/value data (auto-indexed by DAS)
  • Transfer Delegate - Allow others to transfer
  • And many more in the Plugins section
• DAS Indexing: All major RPC providers supporting DAS already index Core assets.

Core Concepts

Assets

An Asset is a single on-chain account representing an NFT. Unlike Token Metadata (which uses 3+ accounts), Core Assets contain ownership, metadata URI, and plugin data in one account. See: What is an Asset?

Collections

A Collection is a Core account that groups related Assets. Collections can have their own plugins that apply to all member Assets. Collection-level royalties, for example, apply to every Asset in the collection unless overridden. See: Collections

Plugins

Plugins are modular extensions that add behavior to Assets or Collections. They hook into lifecycle events (create, transfer, burn) to enforce rules or store data. See: Plugins Overview

Quick Reference

Program IDs

SDK Packages

Next Steps

1. Choose your SDK: Visit Getting Started to install the JavaScript or Rust SDK
2. Create your first Asset: Follow the Creating Assets guide
3. Explore plugins: See available behaviors in Plugins
4. Migrate from Token Metadata: Review Differences from Token Metadata

FAQ

What is Metaplex Core?

Metaplex Core is a next-generation NFT standard on Solana that uses a single-account design for lower costs, enforced royalties, and a flexible plugin system. It's the recommended standard for new NFT projects.

How is Core different from Token Metadata?

Core uses one account per asset (vs 3+ for Token Metadata), costs ~80% less to mint, has lower compute usage, and includes built-in royalty enforcement. Token Metadata is considered legacy for new projects. See Differences from Token Metadata for a detailed comparison.

Can I migrate from Token Metadata to Core?

Core Assets and Token Metadata NFTs are separate standards. There's no automatic migration. New projects should use Core; existing Token Metadata collections continue to work.

Does Core support royalties?

Yes. Core has a Royalties plugin that enforces royalties by default. You can set basis points, creator splits, and allowlist/denylist rules for marketplaces.

What are plugins?

Plugins are modular extensions that add behavior to Core Assets or Collections. Examples include Freeze Delegate (allow freezing), Attributes (on-chain data), and Royalties (creator payments).

How much does it cost to mint a Core Asset?

Approximately 0.0029 SOL per base asset, compared to ~0.022 SOL for Token Metadata. This makes Core ~80% cheaper for minting. See Differences from Token Metadata for more details.

Which RPC providers support Core?

All major RPC providers supporting DAS (Digital Asset Standard) index Core assets. See RPC Providers for a current list.

Can I use Core for gaming assets?

Yes. Core's plugin system makes it ideal for gaming: use Attributes for on-chain stats, Freeze Delegate for locking items, and Transfer Delegate for marketplace integration.

Glossary