Testnet
History
Ravencoin was launched on January 3, 2018, as a free, open source platform forked from the Bitcoin codebase. Since that time, Ravencoin has operated as a fully functional network based on the Bitcoin UTXO model. All coins have been fairly mined by a decentralized network of miners using the ASIC-resistant X16r algorithm.
Since the launch, developers have been actively working to add additional asset creation functionality to the Ravencoin core wallet client, as contemplated by Phase 2 (asset support) of the Ravencoin roadmap.
The Ravencoin community is now able to run the current core Ravencoin client in testnet mode, in order to generate addresses that will be able to receive testnet RVN.
On July 30, new asset layer features will be added to the core wallet client for use on Ravencoin’s test network. These features are expected to include additional capabilities that will facilitate the native creation, issuance and transfer of asset tokens. A revised version of the core client software will be made available for download on GitHub. This will allow for rigorous community testing of the native asset layer functionality — including the creation and issuance of testnet assets — in contemplation of the anticipated launch of this functionality on the mainnet in October.
This testnet network will be a completely independent secondary blockchain for testing purposes only, in which all tokens will have no intrinsic value and will not be traded on exchanges. The purpose of a testnet is to test features and functionality before introducing those features and functionality to the main blockchain. It is a playground to experiment and test different features with almost no cost to transact or mine blocks. During this testing phase, the Ravencoin blockchain itself will continue to maintain the same operation and functionality it has today.
To run your current wallet in testnet mode:
- First shutdown your current full client wallet.
- Create a shortcut to your raven-qt.exe with this in the target field:
"C:\Users<username>\Path\to\executable\raven-qt.exe" –testnet
- Open the wallet by clicking on the shortcut you just made, and let the blockchain sync fully
Don't worry, this will not interfere with your regular Raven wallet, just make sure both wallets are not running at the same time. For those who are technically inclined, running in testnet mode does not overwrite any of the blockchain data or wallet files of Ravencoin’s main network. Instead, it will create a subfolder named testnet3 inside your data folder where all testnet related data and wallets reside. If you would prefer to err on the side of caution, consider running your testnet wallet on a different computer.
There are currently a couple of tools available to assist you with testnet testing.
- A fully functional block explorer for testnet Ravencoin is available at https://testnet.ravencoin.network/.
- A faucet which will issue you 5000 free testnet Ravencoin per click, is also available at https://testnet.ravencoin.network/
After this testing period, it is anticipated that the community will consider adoption of the new asset-aware code. Activation will occur through the BIP9 consensus mechanism. More information on the activation process can be found here
