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What is BlockDAG?

BlockDAG, inspired by Bitcoin, is the world’s most advanced layer 1 blockchain. A cutting-edge Proof-of-Work (PoW) algorithm that delivers industry-leading speeds, unbeatable security, and high decentralization.

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BlockDAG Ecosystem

Explore the best-in-class Layer 1 ecosystem, from hackathons to a rewarding grants program.

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Developer Hub

Unlock the full potential of BlockDAG with our comprehensive resources, tools, and community support.

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Testnet

BlockDAG Primordial Testnet is Now Live!
The BlockDAG Primordial Testnet is a cutting-edge blockchain testing environment built to validate high-speed, parallel transaction processing powered by a DAG-based Proof-of-Work consensus.

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  • Launch of the BlockDAG TestNet

Launch of the BlockDAG TestNet

Our Alpha Testnet is now live. This represents a major milestone on the road to BlockDAG going live, and is your chance to test out what we’ve built.

We have prepared the information below to assist you in understanding what a testnet is, why it is important, and how you can be involved in testing the BlockDAG network.

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ABOUT

System Status

Blockchain

completed

100%

Even if the Explorer stops working, the blockchain is still functioning 100%, and been since launch.

Explorer

in progress

90%

We have experienced intermittent synchronization issues which required us to restart the explorer microservice. This is being attended to.

Smart Contract IDE

completed

100%

MetaMask Wallet Connect

completed

100%

Currently only MetaMask is supported. Other EVM wallets will be added to the next beta release.

Setup & Running BlockDAG Node

completed

100%

ABOUT

What is the Devnet, Testnet and Mainnet?

BlockDAG

1. Devnet
(Development Network)

Devnet is primarily used by developers for testing and experimentation. It’s an early-stage network where new features, updates, or changes to a blockchain project can be tried out in a controlled environment.

The Devnet is often less stable and might have frequent changes. It’s not intended for long-term use or production-ready applications. It is typically accessible only to developers and partners involved in the project as it’s a space for testing and development before moving to more public testing.

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2. Testnet
(Testing Network)

Testnet is used for broader testing of blockchain protocols and applications, allowing developers and users to experiment with the network without risking real assets. It simulates the mainnet environment but uses test tokens or assets that hold no real-world value.

Testnets are more stable than devnets and are used to detect and fix issues before deploying changes to the mainnet. It helps in validating performance and security under more realistic conditions.

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3. Mainnet
(Main Network)

Mainnet is the live, fully operational blockchain network where real transactions occur, and real assets are transacted. It represents the final, production version of the blockchain.

Mainnet is designed to be stable, secure, and capable of handling real-world usage. Changes and updates are carefully controlled and rolled out to maintain network integrity.

Summary

Devnet: Experimental, developer-focused network for initial testing and development.

Testnet: Publicly accessible network for broader testing and simulation before changes are applied to the mainnet.

Mainnet: The live, production network where real transactions and interactions occur.

Why is a Testnet important?

BlockDAG

Risk-Free Testing

Developers can experiment with new code, smart contracts, or decentralized applications (dApps) without the risk of financial loss. Since testnet tokens have no real value, testing can be done freely.

BlockDAG

Identifying Bugs and Issues

Testnets allow developers to find and fix bugs, vulnerabilities, or inefficiencies in their code before it affects real users. This helps ensure the security and stability of the mainnet once features are deployed.

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Consensus Mechanism Testing

Changes to a blockchain’s consensus mechanism (like Proof of Stake or Proof of Work) can be tested on a testnet to verify their performance and impact on the network without disrupting the live chain.

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Scalability and Performance Testing

Testnets enable performance testing under different loads and conditions, helping developers assess scalability, transaction speeds, and potential bottlenecks before launching on the mainnet.

BlockDAG

Mining & Node Testing

Miners and node operators can use testnets to configure their hardware and software, ensuring compatibility with new network updates, smart contracts, or governance changes.

BlockDAG

Community and Ecosystem Testing

Communities and projects can use testnets to educate new users and onboard developers by providing a sandbox environment for experimentation.

BlockDAG

Smart Contract Development

For smart contract developers, testnets are where they can deploy, interact with, and test their contracts with a real blockchain environment but with fake assets. This ensures functionality and security.

Summary

In summary, blockchain testnets are a safe, controlled environment for conducting experiments, ensuring stability, and improving the reliability of blockchain features before they go live on a mainnet.

What is included as part of this first BlockDAG Testnet?

  • What is included as part of this first BlockDAG Testnet?

  • I’m ready to try it out – what do I do now?

  • How can I help with testing, and how will I be rewarded?

  • What Do I do if I find issues or bugs

  • Testnet Details

What is included as part of this first BlockDAG Testnet?

The BlockDAG Testnet provides all the core functionality that is required to launch and operate a Layer 1 blockchain, including:

BlockChain Nodes

Multiple nodes running the BlockDAG software all collaborate and contribute to the functionality and security of the blockchain network:

Miners

Miners provide the computational power to solve the proof-of-work challenge, which is an essential component of the consensus algorithm, and network security in general.

Wallet Connection

Allows connection to MetaMask wallet

Explorer

A web-based tool that allows users to interact with and explore data on the BlockDAG blockchain in a transparent and user-friendly way. It provides a range of valuable functions and insights about the blockchain's activities, including transaction history, block details, smart contract interactions, and more.

Faucet

This is a tool normally included in the Explorer that is unique to the Testnet. It allows users to mint coins and transfer them to their wallet address.

Smart Contract Development Kit

This allows users to create, compile, and deploy EVM compatible smart contracts on the BlockDAG Testnet. It comes pre-loaded with the following sample contracts:
  • ERC20 Token
  • ERC721 NFT

Smart Contracts

The following smart contracts are already deployed on the BlockDAG testnet
  • Faucet
  • Reflection
  • Lottery

What is included as part of this first BlockDAG Testnet?

The BlockDAG Testnet provides all the core functionality that is required to launch and operate a Layer 1 blockchain, including:

BlockChain Nodes

Multiple nodes running the BlockDAG software all collaborate and contribute to the functionality and security of the blockchain network:

Miners

Miners provide the computational power to solve the proof-of-work challenge, which is an essential component of the consensus algorithm, and network security in general.

Wallet Connection

Allows connection to MetaMask wallet

Explorer

A web-based tool that allows users to interact with and explore data on the BlockDAG blockchain in a transparent and user-friendly way. It provides a range of valuable functions and insights about the blockchain's activities, including transaction history, block details, smart contract interactions, and more.

Faucet

This is a tool normally included in the Explorer that is unique to the Testnet. It allows users to mint coins and transfer them to their wallet address.

Smart Contract Development Kit

This allows users to create, compile, and deploy EVM compatible smart contracts on the BlockDAG Testnet. It comes pre-loaded with the following sample contracts:
  • ERC20 Token
  • ERC721 NFT

Smart Contracts

The following smart contracts are already deployed on the BlockDAG testnet
  • Faucet
  • Reflection
  • Lottery

I’m ready to try it out – what do I do now?

In order to get started we suggest you follow these steps:

Getting Started

  • Create your BDAG wallet address:
    • Install MetaMask (if it is not already installed)
    • Connect it to the BlockDAG Testnet
    • Create a BDAG Wallet address
  • Create your BDAG wallet address:
    • Open the BlockDAG Explorer in your browser
    • Navigate to the Faucet menu item
    • Once in the faucet, select the number of BDAG coins (you can mint 100 BDAG coins per day) that you wish to mint, enter your wallet address, and go. This will call a faucet smart contract that will mint the coins in your wallet address.
  • ⁠Check MetaMask to see that the coins have been received. Your balance should be 100 coins x 0.05c = $5.00 (this may take up to 5 minutes).

Send and Receive BDAG

  • Send to a second address, or to a friend
  • Receive BDAG from a friend, or another address you have setup.

Try out some of our Smart Contracts

  • REFLECTION

    Send BDAG coins to this smart contract, and the same amount will be sent right back to you.
    Address: to-be-confirmed

  • LOTTER

    Send BDAG to the Lottery Smart Contract. After entering the lottery, you stand a chance to win anything from 1% to 1,000% of your initial stake. So if you send 100 BDAG, you could get back 1 BDAG, or 1,000, or anything in between. Are you feeling lucky...
    Note that this Lottery only runs once every hour, so you will normally not get an immediate response.
    Address: to-be-confirmed

Advanced Testing – Setting up a node

For those of you keen to get more technically involved at the protocol / consensus level, you can setup a node of your own, and add it to the network. Alternatively you can setup our mining software (CPU based, for testing)
Please check back at launch for more details of how to do this.

How can I help with testing, and how will I be rewarded?

Just by doing the above, you are helping us by testing the chain functionality. The more you experiment the better, as this adds load to the blockchain and allows us to assess how the system operates under busy conditions.

What Do I do if I find issues or bugs

Any issues or bugs please notify us via email at [email protected] Please include a description of the issue, and a screen shot if possible.

Testnet Details

Details will be confirmed at launch.