A summary of 5 early protocols with open testnets: Fuel, Celestia, Taiko, EigenLayer, and Linea
This article will introduce several projects that are in the testnet phase, as well as opinions on participating in the testnet.Author: Yuzhong Kuangshui, Deep Tide Research Institute
The blockchain testnet is an important component of blockchain systems. Simply put, the testnet simulates the operating environment of the mainnet, allowing developers and users to test new applications and protocols in the testnet before deploying them on the mainnet, ensuring their stability and reliability, and optimizing applications and protocols based on the data generated in the testnet.
A negative example is Gemholic, which was tested only on the BNB Chain testnet before being deployed on zkSync, resulting in the contract locking up 921 ETH of raised funds. The BNB Chain testnet is not equivalent to the zkSync mainnet, leading to contract issues. This also validates the importance of testnets—although transactions and data conducted on the testnet are not recorded on the testnet blockchain, the testnet is crucial for the development of blockchain.
Next, I will introduce several projects currently in the testnet phase and share my views on participating in testnets based on the actions of the Sui project team.
Fuel
Fuel is a scaling solution built on Ethereum, positioned as a modular execution layer. Fuel launched its third public testnet on March 20, aimed at testing its P2P network and the capabilities of synchronizing full nodes.
Like other scaling solutions, it aims to establish a high-speed, low-cost decentralized network.
However, unlike other Rollups, Fuel has established a brand new virtual machine architecture, namely FuelVM. Based on Solidity and Move languages, FuelVM has introduced the Sway language, specifically designed for executing smart contracts and processing transactions in parallel—this is also the reason it achieves high throughput.
Another noteworthy point is that Fuel is designed to be easily fraud-resistant as a Layer 2, and it can also serve as the transaction execution layer for Optimistic Rollups, and in the future, it can act as the transaction execution layer for other Layer 1s, such as the modular data availability layer Celestia.
Participation link: https://fuel-labs.ghost.io/announcing-beta-3-testnet/
Celestia
Celestia is a modular data availability layer built on the Cosmos SDK, responsible only for verifying data availability and transaction ordering, and is currently in the testnet phase.
Unlike Fuel, Celestia acts as Layer 1, responsible for verifying data availability and transaction ordering.
The modular design gives Celestia great flexibility and composability: Celestia can serve solely as a data availability layer or as both a data availability layer and responsible for transaction ordering. In other words, Rollups can either use Celestia as their own data availability layer and transaction ordering, or connect Celestia to Layer 1s like Ethereum, only responsible for data availability. To put it more vividly, developers can connect Celestia to Ethereum, thereby indirectly scaling Ethereum.
Participation link: https://docs.celestia.org/
Taiko
Taiko is a ZkRollup solution built on Ethereum by Loopring founder Wang Dong. Taiko launched the ZK-EVM alpha-2 testnet "Askja" on March 23. On April 17, Taiko will deprecate the alpha-2 testnet and simultaneously launch the alpha-3 testnet to implement fixes, improvements, and new components.
Taiko uses ZKP technology, focusing on the equivalence of its operating environment with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, and prioritizes the decentralization of its ZkRollup in its architectural design. In line with the forms and goals of other Layer 2s, Taiko will scale Ethereum's performance by executing, aggregating, and proving transactions off-chain.
Participation link: https://taiko.xyz/docs/guides
EigenLayer
EigenLayer is a restaking protocol based on Ethereum. On April 7, EigenLayer launched the first phase of its testnet on the Ethereum Goerli network. It is important to note that, according to the official statement, this testnet is an early non-incentivized testnet.
EigenLayer allows ETH stakers to restake their ETH into new smart contracts, protecting the security of other networks, such as sidechains, cross-chain bridges, and middleware, through staking ETH.
The advantages of the EigenLayer model are:
- Increases the revenue channels for ETH stakers, thereby enhancing the capital efficiency of stakers;
- Enhances Ethereum's network bandwidth through the data availability product EigenDA;
- Provides a new empowerment for the ETH token itself;
- Lowers the operational threshold for Ethereum ecosystem protocols, promoting further development of the ecosystem.
Participation link: https://goerli.eigenlayer.xyz/
Linea
Linea is a zkEVM scaling solution launched by ConsenSys, and the testnet has already been released.
Linea focuses on equivalence with the EVM, meaning developers can seamlessly migrate applications to the Linea network. Like other zkRollup solutions, Linea can bundle many contract transactions into a single transaction, thereby increasing transaction throughput and reducing transaction fees. Another notable advantage is the support and integration of Metamask for Linea.
Participation link: https://goerli.linea.build/
Conclusion
Why are crypto users eager to participate in testnet testing?
The fundamental reason is their expectation of future airdrops from the project. However, Sui's failure to provide token airdrops to early supporters has greatly harmed early testnet participants.
In this context, we cannot view the influx of airdrop hunters as a cancer in the industry; while participating, they also provide rich and valuable data for the testnet—this has a positive effect on optimizing protocol products. On the contrary, Sui's approach has discouraged more people from being enthusiastic about participating in testnets.
Therefore, in the future, to attract more participants, protocol teams may need to clearly indicate the "incentive portion of the testnet."
