Error when two `programs.devnet` found in anchor

Question

1. Could someone explain what the differences are to [programs.localnet], [programs.devnet] and possibly [programs.mainnet-beta] defined in Anchor.toml

The anchor-lang reference for the manifest only mentions programs.localnet

programs.localnet is used during testing on localnet where it's possible to load a program at genesis with the --bpf-program option on solana-test-validator

2. Why does having two programs.localnet or programs.devnet result in this error

Error: Unable to deserialize config: redefinition of table `programs.localnet` for key `programs.localnet` at line 8 column 1

I am trying to have multiple programs in my Anchor workspace.

Answer 1

1. It just informs anchor what network you will be using to deploy your program. Whether it's localnet, devnet, or the mainnet([programs.mainnet])

2. I believe you should be creating a separate program directory for each program, and provide the idl for each program to use multiple programs in Anchor workspace. Something like

   • /programs/program1/src/lib.rs
   • /programs/program2/src/lib.rs

   and

   • /programs/program1/target/idl/program1.json
   • /programs/program2/target/idl/program2.json

   Then you should have to modify the anchor.toml file to read both the programs.

   [programs.devnet]
   lib1 = "<program1.keypair>"
   idl1 = "<program1.idl>"
   lib2 = "<program2.keypair>"
   idl2 = "<program2.idl>"
   

Not entirely sure about whether anchor.toml config notations are correct... but I think this way you can use two programs.