A Solana wallet is built around a cryptographic keypair: a private key and a public key. The private key proves ownership and signs transactions, while the public key is used to derive your wallet address and can be shared publicly.
Wallets such as the Solana CLI, Phantom, and mobile wallets all manage the same type of keypair. The main difference is how they store keys and provide access for signing transactions. Developers often use the CLI wallet for testing and deployments, while Phantom and mobile wallets offer a more user-friendly experience for everyday interactions with dApps.
No matter which wallet you use, protecting your private key and recovery phrase is essential because anyone with access to them can control your assets.