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<div class="card hero">
    <div class="card-body">
      <h1><span class="grad">What is a testnet?</span></h1>
      <p class="lede">A testnet is a practice version of a cryptocurrency network. Same software, same rules, real protocols, but its own separate blockchain and its own coins, handed out for free and deliberately worth nothing.</p>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="toc">
    <p class="toc-title">On this page</p>
    <ul>
      <li><a href="#definition">The short version</a></li>
      <li><a href="#why">Why testnets exist</a></li>
      <li><a href="#vs-mainnet">Testnet vs mainnet</a></li>
      <li><a href="#three">The three networks here</a></li>
      <li><a href="#flavors">Testnet, signet, stagenet, regtest</a></li>
      <li><a href="#at-a-glance">Networks at a glance</a></li>
      <li><a href="#start">Where to start</a></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <div class="card"><div class="card-body prose">
    <h2 id="definition">The short version <a class="anchor" tabindex="-1" href="#definition" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2>
    <p>Every real cryptocurrency (the one with actual value) runs on its <strong>mainnet</strong>. A <strong>testnet</strong> is a parallel copy of that network used for practice and development. It runs the same code and follows the same consensus rules, so everything behaves authentically: addresses, transactions, fees, confirmations, mining, nodes, and swaps all work exactly as they do on mainnet.</p>
    <p>The difference is the money. Testnet coins are given away for free and have <strong>no market value on purpose</strong>. That means you can make every beginner mistake (fumble a transaction, misjudge a fee, send to the wrong address) and lose nothing.</p>
    <blockquote><p>Real protocols, fake money. That's what a testnet is.</p></blockquote>

    <h2 id="why">Why testnets exist <a class="anchor" tabindex="-1" href="#why" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2>
    <ul>
      <li><strong>Developers</strong> test wallets, exchanges, and integrations without putting real funds at risk.</li>
      <li><strong>Learners</strong> get hands-on with how a blockchain works before spending a cent.</li>
      <li><strong>Protocol changes</strong> get trialed on testnet before they are ever activated on mainnet.</li>
    </ul>
    <p>If you have ever wanted to understand crypto by <em>doing</em> rather than reading, a testnet is the safest possible sandbox.</p>

    <h2 id="vs-mainnet">Testnet vs mainnet <a class="anchor" tabindex="-1" href="#vs-mainnet" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2>
    <div class="table-wrap"><table>
      <thead><tr><th scope="col"></th><th scope="col">Mainnet</th><th scope="col">Testnet</th></tr></thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr><th scope="row">Coin value</th><td>Real money</td><td>None, by design</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Getting coins</th><td>Buy or earn them</td><td>Free from a <a href="/faucet">faucet</a> or by <a href="/mining">mining</a></td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Blockchain</th><td>The one real chain</td><td>A separate chain with its own genesis block</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Addresses</th><td>Mainnet prefixes</td><td>Different prefixes, so you can't mix them up</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Stability</th><td>Rock solid</td><td>Sometimes reset or erratic, and that's fine</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Mistakes cost</th><td>Real money</td><td>Nothing</td></tr>
      </tbody>
    </table></div>

    <h2 id="three">The three networks here <a class="anchor" tabindex="-1" href="#three" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2>
    <p>TestnetHub focuses on three chains. Each has its own beginner guide:</p>
  </div></div>

  <div class="features">
    <div class="feature"><h3><span class="coin-chip"><img class="coin-ico" src="/assets/coins/btc.svg" alt="" width="20" height="20"> Bitcoin (tBTC)</span></h3><p>The original. Three test networks: testnet3, testnet4, and signet. <a href="/bitcoin">Bitcoin testnet guide &rarr;</a></p></div>
    <div class="feature"><h3><span class="coin-chip"><img class="coin-ico" src="/assets/coins/ltc.svg" alt="" width="20" height="20"> Litecoin (tLTC)</span></h3><p>Faster blocks, plus MWEB confidential transactions. <a href="/litecoin">Litecoin testnet guide &rarr;</a></p></div>
    <div class="feature"><h3><span class="coin-chip"><img class="coin-ico" src="/assets/coins/xmr.svg" alt="" width="20" height="20"> Monero (tXMR / sXMR)</span></h3><p>Private by default, with a testnet and a stagenet. <a href="/monero">Monero testnet guide &rarr;</a></p></div>
  </div>

  <div class="card"><div class="card-body prose">
    <h2 id="flavors">Testnet, signet, stagenet, regtest <a class="anchor" tabindex="-1" href="#flavors" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2>
    <p>"Testnet" is the general idea, but you'll meet a few specific flavors:</p>
    <div class="table-wrap"><table>
      <thead><tr><th scope="col">Network</th><th scope="col">What it is</th></tr></thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr><th scope="row"><strong>Public testnet</strong></th><td>An open, shared test chain anyone can join (Bitcoin testnet3/testnet4, Litecoin testnet4, Monero testnet).</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row"><strong>Signet</strong> (Bitcoin)</th><td>A testnet where blocks are <em>signed</em> by a coordinator, so block production is calm and predictable. Best for app development.</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row"><strong>Stagenet</strong> (Monero)</th><td>Technically equivalent to mainnet in features and rules, which makes it the recommended network for integration and exchange-style testing.</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row"><strong>Regtest</strong></th><td>A private, local-only network where you mine blocks on demand. Perfect for automated testing on your own machine.</td></tr>
      </tbody>
    </table></div>

    <h2 id="at-a-glance">Networks at a glance <a class="anchor" tabindex="-1" href="#at-a-glance" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2>
    <p>The usable networks, side by side. The ports and prefixes come in handy once you run a node.</p>
    <div class="table-wrap"><table>
      <thead><tr><th scope="col">Network</th><th scope="col">Coin</th><th scope="col">Block time</th><th scope="col">Ports (P2P / RPC)</th><th scope="col">Address prefix</th><th scope="col">Good for</th></tr></thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr><th scope="row">Bitcoin testnet3</th><td>tBTC</td><td>~10 min</td><td class="mono">18333 / 18332</td><td class="mono">tb1&hellip;</td><td>Long-running, but erratic</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Bitcoin testnet4</th><td>tBTC</td><td>~10 min</td><td class="mono">48333 / 48332</td><td class="mono">tb1&hellip;</td><td>The current Bitcoin testnet</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Bitcoin signet</th><td>tBTC</td><td>~10 min</td><td class="mono">38333 / 38332</td><td class="mono">tb1&hellip;</td><td>Stable app development</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Litecoin testnet4</th><td>tLTC</td><td>~2.5 min</td><td class="mono">19335 / 19332</td><td class="mono">tltc1&hellip; / tmweb1&hellip;</td><td>Litecoin, plus MWEB</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Monero testnet</th><td>tXMR</td><td>~2 min</td><td class="mono">28080 / 28081</td><td class="mono">9&hellip; or A&hellip;</td><td>Experimental Monero</td></tr>
        <tr><th scope="row">Monero stagenet</th><td>sXMR</td><td>~2 min</td><td class="mono">38080 / 38081</td><td class="mono">5&hellip;</td><td>Mainnet-like Monero</td></tr>
      </tbody>
    </table></div>

    <h2 id="start">Where to start <a class="anchor" tabindex="-1" href="#start" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2>
    <p>The fastest way to learn is to run through the loop once:</p>
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      <h3>Testnet coins are fake money</h3>
      <ul>
        <li>They have no market value, so never buy or sell them.</li>
        <li>Never use a real seed phrase or import a real wallet on testnet.</li>
        <li>Never send mainnet BTC, LTC, or XMR to a testnet address.</li>
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