Frequently Asked Questions About the Casper Network
Your guide for learning about the Casper Network.
Curious about the Casper Network? Here’s a helpful FAQ to assist you in getting started:
What is the Casper Network?
The Casper Network is an open-source Proof of Stake blockchain network built off the CBC (Correct-by-Construction), the Casper Network specification originally established by early Ethereum developers. The Casper network is optimized for enterprise and developer adoption by focusing on unique features like upgradeable contracts, predictable network fees, privacy flexibility, on-chain governance, and developer-friendly languages. The Casper Network solves the scalability trilemma by allowing development teams to build with confidence that the network will optimize for security, decentralization, and high throughput.
When did the Casper Network mainnet launch?
Mainnet launched March 31, 2021.
How does the Casper Network solve the trilemma of security, decentralization, and scalability?
As a Proof of Stake network, the Casper Network relies on a set of validators to uphold the network. PoS validators do not require the same hardware setup as Proof of Work networks, allowing validators to be more geographically decentralized and eliminating the centralizing pressures of economies of scale. PoS also enables scalability mechanisms like sharding, allowing the network to process multiple transactions simultaneously, improving overall throughput.
What is unique about the Casper Network’s blockchain architecture?
The Highway Protocol is the specific implementation of PoS that supports the Casper Network. Highway has two primary benefits over classic Byzantine Fault Tolerant consensus mechanisms. First, Highway enables the network to reach higher thresholds of finality. Second, it achieves flexibility in a way not possible in typical BFT models. Learn more.
Why is the Casper Network a good fit for enterprises and developers?
The Casper Network is optimized for enterprise and developers through three main features: upgradeable contracts, developer-friendly languages, and predictable network fees.
Upgradeable Contracts. The Casper Network enables on-chain smart contracts to be directly upgraded, removing the need for complex and migration processes and making it easier to patch smart contract vulnerabilities.
Developer-Friendly Languages. The Casper Network supports developers building with WebAssembly. The network’s development ecosystem is designed to be familiar to existing Web2 developers instead of being written in a proprietary language like Solidity. This provides an easier path for developers and businesses to start building with the Casper protocol immediately.
Predictable Network Fees. The Casper Network incentives active and diverse network behavior by establishing consistent, predictable, and transparent gas costs — eliminating volatility and improving both developer and user experience.
Where can I learn more about the Casper Network’s architecture and design?
The Casper Network architecture documentation covers network communication, execution semantics, account management, block structure, serialization, and tokens.
Where do I find more details about the Casper Network’s economics?
The Highway paper and the Economics documentation will help you conceptualize Casper’s economic activity. The Glossary will also help you understand key definitions in the context of the Casper Network.
How do I get started with smart contract development?
Follow the dApp Developer Guide to get started with smart contract development on the Casper blockchain in AssemblyScript or Rust. You can also find sample contracts in GitHub.
How do I become a validator?
To understand the process of becoming a validator, read the Node Operator documentation. Once you are ready to begin, you can follow the Casper How-To Guides.
Where do I find information about current transactions, blocks, and validators?
Visit CSPR.live, the block explorer for the Casper Network, to view information about the bonded validators, latest blocks and transactions, and total stake in the network. You can toggle between the Mainnet block explorer and the Testnet block explorer.
How do I stake CSPR with a validator?
To participate in the protocol and stake your CSPR tokens with a validator, follow the Staking Guide.
Where can I find more information about the Casper Network and CasperLabs?
Frequently asked questions about the Casper Network, CasperLabs, and the CSPR token, are covered in the FAQ section of the documentation.
Where can I ask further questions?
Connect with us on Discord, Telegram, and Twitter.
Other Useful Links
Node Operators — Learn about becoming a validator and running node infrastructure on the Casper Network:
General Documentation: https://docs.casperlabs.io/en/latest/node-operator/index.html
The Casper Network How-To Guides: https://docs.cspr.community/
Staking Guide — Participate in the protocol by staking CSPR tokens with a validator in the Casper Network.
FAQ — Find answers regarding the Casper Network, CasperLabs, and the CSPR token sale.
Glossary — Explore key definitions in the context of the Casper Network.
Developers — Get started with smart contract development on the Casper Network blockchain in AssemblyScript or Rust.
