Etherlink Testnet: Decentralized L2 Development Open to All
Welcome, trailblazers! Let’s delve into the Etherlink testnet. Since its launch in July 2023, our platform has made significant strides.
Alongside notable technological advancements to the Etherlink rollup, we’ve integrated developer-friendly infrastructure. This includes a robust block explorer with detailed analytics, reliable oracles providing production-ready price feeds, and user-friendly tools for deploying smart contracts across EVM chains.
Early testers have been experimenting with lightning-fast transactions within a fully EVM-compatible execution environment. Read on as we lift the hood over the Etherlink testnet. Discover what it can do and how to deploy on an EVM L2 built on Tezos.
Block 3,289,331: we have lift-off
Etherlink has been advancing through its Alpha stage since July 2023. The testnet rollup instance was deployed on the Ghostnet test network, starting at block level 3,289,331.
During this phase, both community members and project developers have immersed themselves in EVM development, putting Etherlink’s infrastructure to the test in anticipation of the mainnet launch.
This phased approach has allowed developers to grasp the network’s potential, whilealso facilitating a smooth transition to the mainnet.
Evolving towards mainnet
The main focus of Alpha was the integration of features, optimizing latency, and providing a bug-free experience for users. You can follow our engineering progress directly on the GitLab repository and browse the roadmap phases from testnet to mainnet over on Etherlink’s website.
In addition to refining Etherlink and adding developer-friendly infrastructure, we’ve prioritized community-driven initiatives. These include hackathons and the pursuit of community-led governance. Our vibrant Discord community has also gained considerable momentum.
A growing infrastructure
Here are a few of the early infrastructure providers that are already live and ready to roll on Etherlink:
- Redstone — Modular oracle provider that allows dapps to integrate production-ready price feeds through an on-demand model. Test it out in the Redstone DeFi showroom.
- Thirdweb — Frontend, backend, and on-chain tools to build complete web3 apps.
- LayerZero — A bridge from Tezos to Etherlink.
- Blockscout — A block explorer with an open-source codebase, community support, extensive blockchain analytics capabilities, and ease of integration with Etherlink’s unique architecture.
How to get started with Etherlink
Ready to dive in? Deploying smart contracts on Etherlink is a streamlined process, allowing developers to get dapps up and running quickly with the aid of tried-and-tested development tools.
Popular Ethereum tools like Hardhat and Foundry work right out of the box. If you’ve been writing smart contracts for a while, you might have used them before. Both provide a development environment to create, test, and deploy smart contracts (along with some additional features).
How to deploy a smart contract on Etherlink
The following instructions will walk you through how to get testnet tez (the currency of the Tezos testnet), deploy a smart contract at lightning speed using developer tools, and then view it on the testnet block explorer.
Get testnet tez on Etherlink
The Etherlink faucet allows you to claim small amounts of test tez. You can then use them to deploy smart contracts, perform test transactions, and explore the network’s features.
The faucet automatically adds Ghostnet (Tezos testnet) to MetaMask in three steps.
- Head to the Faucet and click Connect wallet
- Click Switch Network and follow the instructions to add Ghostnet to MetaMask
- Click the Send 0.1 tez button to receive testnet tez into your wallet
Deploy your first contract on Etherlink with Remix IDE and Hardhat
Check out this tutorial by Adebola Adeniran, a developer advocate within the Tezos ecosystem, which walks you through deploying smart contracts using Remix IDE and Hardhat..
If you’re unfamiliar with Remix IDE, it’s a no-setup Ethereum smart contract development platform designed to make coding in Solidity easier and more intuitive.
Using the testnet explorer
With your smart contract deployed, you can use the testnet explorer to see more details about it.
Why Etherlink?
In contrast to other networks that rely on single sequencers, Etherlink introduces decentralized block production to EVM rollups.
Why care? Because decentralization matters. It gives users peace of mind while they make transactions on a reliable, secure, and fast chain. This is how we advance Web3 adoption.
Peace of mind, built-in
Etherlink is an enshrined Smart Rollup — a rollup that’s implemented as part of the Tezos protocol itself. This means it offers enhanced security compared to Ethereum’s smart contract-based rollups.
Transactions on Etherlink are also shielded from MEV, a well-known form of exploitation that costs users millions every year.
Lightning-fast, low-fee transactions
In addition to security, network performance and economic transactions are cornerstones of Etherlink’s development.
- Etherlink transactions cost just $0.01.
- To handle these transactions, blocks are produced every 500ms, and it takes between 0.5 and 1 second for an end-to-end RPC call to confirm a transaction.
Decentralization, speed, and security have always been hallmarks of the Tezos blockchain — and now EVM-based dapps can leverage these benefits via Etherlink.
Join the community
Join our vibrant community and keep track of our progress as we build a truly decentralized EVM-compatible L2 that leverages the robustness and reliability of Tezos.
Join our Discord server to get in touch with the community, connect, and collaborate. You can also ask any questions you may have there.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, and keep up with all the latest updates right here on our Medium channel. Finally, head to the website to learn more about all things Etherlink.
