While Pectra upgrade marks few seat backs on existing testnets, Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko has announced a new testnet called Hoodi to wrap up the final testing. This newest testnet will be launched on Monday, 17 March.
In his recent X post, Tim introduced the Hoodi testnet, stating that it would primarily be used to test validator exits while other testing could be done on existing Sepolia and Holesky testnets. He also noted that the Pectra upgrade will be scheduled after 30 days of successful Hoodi testnet fork.
The much anticipated Pectra upgrade includes several improvements that aim to make Ethereum faster, user friendly and more efficient for both developers and users. One of the key development Pectra upgrade bring in is Smart Wallets, which will allow users to program their normal wallets while having an ability to pay transaction fees in cryptocurrency other than ETH.
While both the existing testnets Sepolia and Holesky remain functioning, the launch of Hoodi testnet comes following complications in Pectra upgrade tests. The upgrade caught up with configuration errors on both existing testnets which prevented proper testing.
In the case of Holesky, the network even went offline for multiple weeks due to the flawed test issues. It came back to finality 11 March being in non-finalized state for weeks.
Testnet or testing networks function the same as Ethereum network but they are generally free to use and users do not have to pay real ETH in order to execute testing transactions. All major upgrades on Ethereum are first implemented on test networks before full deployment on the mainnet to ensure their accuracy and match the intended functionality.
Also Read: Ethereum Gas Fees Drop 95%, But ETH Price Falls 53%
