The next major milestone toward Stacks 2.0 launch is a public testnet. In this post, we’ll share some more details on what to expect and how you can get involved. Feedback and testing throughout the testnet period is a crucial component of a successful mainnet launch. Thank you to all of you already committed to testing; if you’re not already please keep reading to learn how you can contribute during this key step in building a user owned internet.
Get Involved
Testnets serve two primary goals:
- Quality: testnets are a “staging” environment for the eventual mainnet and can help surface critical bugs, missing features, and rough edges. We need your help in running and poking at the testnet code, so we can have a high-quality mainnet launch!
- Community: testnets can help translate abstract interest in mining, stacking, delegation, etc into tangible communities and concrete actions. Our community is the bedrock on which this project will succeed and grow, and testnets can be a great testbed for galvanizing working groups, driving collaborative action and momentum.
We’re looking for community feedback and input on several aspects of the testnet, specifically the scope and duration of each phase. For details, please refer to the forum post linked below.
Check out the forum post for more details
Join us on Discord here
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High-level Testnet Plan
We intend to run through various testnets in “phases”, each phase characterized by specific focus area(s). We anticipate the initial few phases to be sequential, and we’ll parallelize later phases where feasible. Depending on what we uncover in each Phase, we may need to push out the start of the next phase if any issues need to be fixed first.
Please keep in mind that all details are subject to change as we approach the projected launch week of March 30th, and even thereafter, as we learn from testnet activity and adjust accordingly.
Outline of Testnet Phases
For more details and to provide feedback on the scope, duration, exit criteria etc of each phase, please comment on the forum post. Testnet phases will roughly adhere to the following scopes:
- Phase 1 (Basics): basic end-to-end functionality for miners (excluding Proof of Transfer) and users (send / receive STX etc)
- Phase 2 (Integration): ensure core integrations (explorer, smart contracts etc) are working correctly
- Phase 3 (Stacking & Delegation): ensure Proof of Transfer works as expected
- Phase 4 (Upgrade): ensure Stacks 1.0 → Stacks 2.0 upgrade triggers on sufficient miner interest and works as expected
We plan to setup a dedicated Github repository for the testnet which will be the central point of communication and coordination for all things testnet, including any feedback and bug reports. We are also exploring if and what incentive mechanisms might be appropriate for each testnet phase.
Stay tuned for more details!
Important disclaimer
Blockstack PBC is not registered, licensed, or supervised as a broker dealer or investment adviser by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), or any other financial regulatory authority or licensed to provide any financial advice or services.
Forward-looking statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements that are based on our beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to us. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “will,” “expect,” “would,” “intend,” “believe,” or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements in this document include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans for developing the platform and potential mining operations. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.