Details
Programs & Operations
Last updated April 8, 2026
The Metaplex Skill covers six programs across CLI, Umi SDK, and Kit SDK. This page provides a detailed breakdown of what each program supports and when to use it.
Summary
The Metaplex Skill provides AI agents with knowledge of six Metaplex programs and their available tooling across CLI, Umi SDK, and Kit SDK.
- All six programs (Agent Registry, Genesis, Core, Token Metadata, Bubblegum, Candy Machine) support both CLI and Umi SDK
- Kit SDK is available for Token Metadata only
- The
mplxCLI handles most operations without writing code - Use this page to determine which program and tooling approach fits your task
Program Coverage
The following table shows which tooling approaches are available for each program.
| Program | CLI | Umi SDK | Kit SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent Registry | Yes | Yes | — |
| Genesis | Yes | Yes | — |
| Core | Yes | Yes | — |
| Token Metadata | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bubblegum | Yes | Yes | — |
| Candy Machine | Yes | Yes | — |
Agent Registry
The Agent Registry provides on-chain agent identity, wallets, and execution delegation for MPL Core assets.
CLI (mplx agents): Register agent identity, delegate and revoke execution, fetch agent data, and link a Genesis token to an agent. For the full agent token creation flow, use mplx genesis launch create --agentAsset --agentSetToken to launch and link in one step.
Umi SDK: Full programmatic access including the Mint Agent API (mintAndSubmitAgent) that creates a Core asset and registers identity in a single transaction. Supports registerIdentityV1 for existing assets, execution delegation, and the full agent token creation flow — launching a token via Genesis and linking it with setAgentTokenV1.
Every Core asset has a built-in wallet (Asset Signer PDA) via Core's Execute hook. The Agent Registry adds discoverable identity records and lets owners delegate an off-chain executive to operate the agent.
Core
The next-generation NFT standard on Solana. Core NFTs are significantly cheaper than Token Metadata NFTs and support a plugin system for royalty enforcement, freeze delegates, attributes, and more.
CLI (mplx core): Create and update collections and assets, manage plugins.
Umi SDK: Full programmatic access including fetches by owner/collection/creator, plugin configuration, and delegate management.
Token Metadata
The original Metaplex NFT standard. Supports fungible tokens, NFTs, Programmable NFTs (pNFTs), and editions.
CLI (mplx tm): Create NFTs and pNFTs. Transfer and update assets. For fungible tokens, use mplx toolbox token.
Umi SDK: Full programmatic access to all Token Metadata operations.
Kit SDK: Token Metadata operations using @solana/kit with minimal dependencies. Useful when you want to avoid the Umi framework.
Bubblegum (Compressed NFTs)
Bubblegum lets you create NFTs at massive scale using Merkle trees for state compression. Compressed NFTs cost a fraction of traditional NFTs after the initial tree creation.
CLI (mplx bg): Create Merkle trees, mint cNFTs (batch limit ~100), fetch, update, transfer, and burn.
Umi SDK: Full programmatic access. Use the SDK for batches larger than ~100 or for DAS API queries.
Compressed NFT operations require a DAS-enabled RPC endpoint. Standard Solana RPC endpoints do not support the Digital Asset Standard API needed for cNFT operations.
Candy Machine
Core Candy Machine deploys NFT drops with configurable minting rules (guards). Guards control who can mint, when, at what price, and how many.
CLI (mplx cm): Set up Candy Machine configuration, insert items, and deploy. Minting requires the SDK.
Umi SDK: Full programmatic access including minting operations and guard configuration.
Genesis
Genesis is a token launch protocol with fair distribution and automatic liquidity graduation to Raydium. It supports two launch types: launchpool (configurable allocations with a 48-hour deposit window and optional team vesting) and bonding curve (instant constant-product AMM where trading starts immediately and auto-graduates to Raydium CPMM on sell-out).
CLI (mplx genesis): Create and manage token launches via launchpool or bonding curve. Supports creator fees, first buy, and agent mode for bonding curve launches.
Umi SDK: Full programmatic access via the Launch API (createAndRegisterLaunch). Includes bonding curve swap integration with state fetching, lifecycle helpers, quote calculation with slippage, and swap execution. Also supports agent launch flows where a Genesis token is linked to an Agent Registry identity.
CLI Capabilities
The mplx CLI can handle most Metaplex operations directly without writing code:
| Task | CLI Support |
|---|---|
| Register agent identity | Yes (mplx agents register) |
| Register executive profile | Yes (mplx agents executive register) |
| Delegate / revoke execution | Yes (mplx agents executive delegate / revoke) |
| Fetch agent data | Yes (mplx agents fetch) |
| Set agent token (Genesis link) | Yes (mplx agents set-agent-token, requires asset-signer mode) |
| Create fungible token | Yes (mplx toolbox token create) |
| Create Core NFT/Collection | Yes (mplx core) |
| Create TM NFT/pNFT | Yes (mplx tm create) |
| Transfer TM NFTs | Yes (mplx tm transfer) |
| Transfer fungible tokens | Yes (mplx toolbox token transfer) |
| Transfer Core NFTs | Yes (mplx core asset transfer) |
| Burn Core NFTs | Yes |
| Update Core NFT metadata | Yes |
| Upload to storage | Yes (mplx toolbox storage upload) |
| Candy Machine drop | Yes (setup/config/insert — minting requires SDK) |
| Compressed NFTs (cNFTs) | Yes (batch limit ~100, use SDK for larger) |
| Execute (asset-signer wallets) | Yes (mplx core asset execute) |
| Check SOL balance / Airdrop | Yes (mplx toolbox sol) |
| Query assets by owner/collection | SDK only (DAS API) |
| Token launch — launchpool (Genesis) | Yes (mplx genesis launch create) |
| Token launch — bonding curve (Genesis) | Yes (mplx genesis launch create --launchType bonding-curve) |
| Agent token launch (Genesis + link) | Yes (mplx genesis launch create --agentAsset --agentSetToken) |
Decision Guide
Use the following guidance to choose the right program and tooling for your task.
Autonomous Agents
Use Agent Registry to register on-chain identity and execution delegation for MPL Core assets. The Mint Agent API (mintAndSubmitAgent) creates the Core asset and registers identity in a single transaction. For existing assets, use mplx agents register <AGENT_ASSET> --use-ix (CLI) or registerIdentityV1 (SDK). Agents can create and link an agent token by launching via Genesis and linking it with setAgentTokenV1.
NFTs: Core vs Token Metadata
| Choose | When |
|---|---|
| Core | New NFT projects, lower cost, plugins, royalty enforcement |
| Token Metadata | Existing TM collections, need editions, pNFTs for legacy compatibility |
When to Use Compressed NFTs
Use Bubblegum when minting thousands or more NFTs at minimal cost. The upfront cost is the Merkle tree creation; after that, each mint costs only the transaction fee.
When to Use Candy Machine
Use Core Candy Machine for NFT drops where you need to control minting rules — allowlists, start/end dates, mint limits, payment tokens, and more.
Fungible Tokens
Always use Token Metadata for fungible tokens.
Token Launches
Use Genesis for token generation events with fair distribution and automatic Raydium liquidity graduation. Two launch types are available:
- Launchpool (default) — Configurable allocations with a 48-hour deposit window and optional team vesting support.
- Bonding curve — Instant constant-product AMM where trading starts immediately. Supports creator fees, first buy, and agent mode. Auto-graduates to Raydium CPMM on sell-out.
Asset as Agent / Vault / Wallet (Execute)
Use Core Execute when an asset (NFT, agent, vault) needs to hold SOL or tokens, transfer funds, sign transactions, or own other assets. Every Core asset has a signer PDA that can act as an autonomous wallet.
CLI vs SDK
| Choose | When |
|---|---|
| CLI | Default choice — direct execution, no code needed |
| Umi SDK | You need code, or the operation isn't supported by CLI |
| Kit SDK | You specifically use @solana/kit and want minimal dependencies (Token Metadata only) |
Quick Reference
Each program has a corresponding npm package for SDK access; the CLI bundles all programs into a single tool.
| Tool | Package |
|---|---|
| CLI | @metaplex-foundation/cli (mplx) |
| Umi SDK | @metaplex-foundation/umi |
| Agent Registry SDK | @metaplex-foundation/mpl-agent-registry |
| Core SDK | @metaplex-foundation/mpl-core |
| Token Metadata SDK | @metaplex-foundation/mpl-token-metadata |
| Bubblegum SDK | @metaplex-foundation/mpl-bubblegum |
| Candy Machine SDK | @metaplex-foundation/mpl-core-candy-machine |
| Genesis SDK | @metaplex-foundation/genesis |
| Kit SDK (TM only) | @metaplex-foundation/mpl-token-metadata-kit |
Notes
- Compressed NFT (Bubblegum) operations require a DAS-enabled RPC endpoint; standard Solana RPC does not support the Digital Asset Standard API
- Candy Machine minting requires the SDK — the CLI handles setup, configuration, and item insertion only
- Querying assets by owner or collection requires the DAS API (SDK only)
- Kit SDK support is limited to Token Metadata; all other programs use Umi
- Setting an agent token (
setAgentTokenV1) requires asset-signer mode for the Core asset - Bonding curve launches auto-graduate to Raydium CPMM when all tokens are sold