Network
Launch Date
Consensus
Note
Sepolia
Oct 2021
PoW
Like-for-like representation of Ethereum
GĂśrli
Jan 2019
PoA
Proof-of-Authority
Kiln
Mar 2022
PoS
Post-Merge (for ETH2), shadow fork of the mainnet
Kintsugi
Dec 2021
PoS
DEPRECATED, use Kiln; post-Merge (for ETH2)
Ropsten
Nov 2016
PoW
DEPRECATED, use Sepolia; the Merge to happen on Jun 8, 2022
Rinkeby
Apr 2017
PoA
DEPRECATED, use GĂśrli and GĂśrli Faucet
Kovan
Mar 2017
PoA
DEPRECATED, use Sepolia or GĂśrli
List of active and deprecated Ethereum testnets, including Kintsugi.
Features
Optimistic rollup 
ZK-rollup 
Proof
Uses fraud proofs to prove transaction validity. 
Uses validity (zero-knowledge) proofs to prove transaction validity. 
Capital efficiency
Requires waiting through a 1-week delay (dispute period) before withdrawing funds. 
Users can withdraw funds immediately because validity proofs provide incontrovertible evidence of the authenticity of off-chain transactions. 
Data compression
Publishes full transaction data as calldata to Ethereum Mainnet, which increases rollup costs. 
Doesn't need to publish transaction data on Ethereum because ZK-SNARKs and ZK-STARKs already guarantee the accuracy of the rollup state. 
EVM compatibility
Uses a simulation of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which allows it to run arbitrary logic and support smart contracts. 
Doesn't widely support EVM computation, although a few EVM-compatible ZK-rollups have appeared. 
Rollup costs
Reduces costs since it publishes minimal data on Ethereum and doesn't have to post proofs for transactions, except in special circumstances. 
Faces higher overhead from costs involved in generating and verifying proofs for every transaction block. ZK proofs require specialized, expensive hardware to create and have high on-chain verification costs. 
Trust assumptions
Doesn't require a trusted setup. 
Requires a trusted setup to work. 
Liveness requirements
Verifiers are needed to keep tabs on the actual rollup state and the one referenced in the state root to detect fraud. 
Users don't need someone to watch the L2 chain to detect fraud. 
Security properties 
Relies on cryptoeconomic incentives to assure users of rollup security. 
Relies on cryptographic guarantees for security. 
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Testnets
Ethereum overview

A Complete Guide to Ethereum's Kiln Testnet

Last Updated:
September 26, 2022

Deprecation Notice: The Kiln testnet was deprecated by the Ethereum Foundation during the week of September 12th, and as of September 26th, 2022, Alchemy's Kiln faucet has been deprecated.

Testnets allow developers to test the functionality of their applications before deploying them to a blockchain’s mainnet’s production environment. Before Ethereum switches its consensus mechanism from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, developers must have a safe environment to test their applications and guarantee a smooth transition when the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade takes place. 

The Ethereum Kiln merge testnet helps developers test their applications on the post-merge Ethereum blockchain. The Kiln testnet launched as a proof-of-work blockchain in parallel with the Beacon chain, and merged on March 15, 2022, transitioning to a fully proof-of-stake system allowing developers, node operators, and stakers to get familiar with a post-merge Ethereum environment. 

This article covers the essential aspects of the Kiln testnet, including why a developer would use it, how to acquire and send testnet Ether, and an overview of helpful tools for building, monitoring, and testing applications.

What is the Kiln testnet?

The Kiln testnet simulates the Ethereum mainnet's merge with the beacon chain, initiating the complete transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake network consensus. Kiln’s merge testnet acts as a development environment for developers, node validators, and stakers to experiment with their application(s) functionality on the upcoming Ethereum upgrade to proof-of-stake consensus before The Merge takes place. 

Kiln launched as a proof-of-work system and transitioned to proof-of-stake on March 15, 2022, and is maintained by the Ethereum developer team. The public Kiln testnet currently has 110,000 active validators with 3.5 million ETH staked. The network has processed 1.3 million total transactions at an average of eight thousand per day since its inception.

Is the Kiln testnet deprecated?

As of September 26th, 2022, Alchemy's Kiln faucet has been deprecated and no longer serving active requests as the Kiln Testnet has been deprecated by the Ethereum Foundation.

Why was a developer likely to use the Kiln merge testnet vs. other testnets?

When choosing a testnet, a developer would deploy to the Kiln testnet to experiment with their application's functionality on a proof-of-stake beacon chain. 

For instance, if a developer created an NFT smart contract and wanted to ensure it ran as intended after the Ethereum merge, they could use the Kiln testnet to test the contract functionality. 

There are many different types of testnets, and each serves a different purpose for testing applications. For an overview, read Alchemy’s guide on Ethereum testnets to learn when different testnets should be utilized. 

Many of the current testnets are still using the proof-of-work consensus and will soon be deprecated and replaced with proof-of-stake testnets. 

How to Get Testnet ETH

Since the deprecation of the Kiln testnet, developers and Ethereum enthusiasts have transitioned to using the Sepolia testnet as an alternative testnet for testing Ethereum protocol upgrades and smart contracts. Here's a step-by-step guide on obtaining Sepolia ETH from a Sepolia testnet faucet that allows anyone to send a small amount of fake ETH to their wallet.

  1. Head to Alchemy's free Sepolia Faucet
  2. Sign in to your Alchemy account
  3. Enter your wallet address or ENS name
  4. Click "Send Me ETH"
Sepolia faucet interface for getting free SepoliaETH

A popup will display ‘Transaction sent’ with the amount of Sepolia ETH deposited to your wallet.

Next, you can check your Ethereum wallet to confirm you received the SepoliaETH.

With your Sepolia ETH, you can now run smart contracts on the Sepolia testnet.

To view the date and time, transaction fee, gas burnt, and other transaction details, you can look up your transaction hash on the Sepolia Etherscan.

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Testnets
Ethereum overview

A Complete Guide to Ethereum's Kiln Testnet

Last Updated:
September 26, 2022
Last Updated:
March 14, 2023
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{{kiln-faucet-ad}}

Deprecation Notice: The Kiln testnet was deprecated by the Ethereum Foundation during the week of September 12th, and as of September 26th, 2022, Alchemy's Kiln faucet has been deprecated.

Testnets allow developers to test the functionality of their applications before deploying them to a blockchain’s mainnet’s production environment. Before Ethereum switches its consensus mechanism from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, developers must have a safe environment to test their applications and guarantee a smooth transition when the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade takes place. 

The Ethereum Kiln merge testnet helps developers test their applications on the post-merge Ethereum blockchain. The Kiln testnet launched as a proof-of-work blockchain in parallel with the Beacon chain, and merged on March 15, 2022, transitioning to a fully proof-of-stake system allowing developers, node operators, and stakers to get familiar with a post-merge Ethereum environment. 

This article covers the essential aspects of the Kiln testnet, including why a developer would use it, how to acquire and send testnet Ether, and an overview of helpful tools for building, monitoring, and testing applications.

What is the Kiln testnet?

The Kiln testnet simulates the Ethereum mainnet's merge with the beacon chain, initiating the complete transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake network consensus. Kiln’s merge testnet acts as a development environment for developers, node validators, and stakers to experiment with their application(s) functionality on the upcoming Ethereum upgrade to proof-of-stake consensus before The Merge takes place. 

Kiln launched as a proof-of-work system and transitioned to proof-of-stake on March 15, 2022, and is maintained by the Ethereum developer team. The public Kiln testnet currently has 110,000 active validators with 3.5 million ETH staked. The network has processed 1.3 million total transactions at an average of eight thousand per day since its inception.

Is the Kiln testnet deprecated?

As of September 26th, 2022, Alchemy's Kiln faucet has been deprecated and no longer serving active requests as the Kiln Testnet has been deprecated by the Ethereum Foundation.

Why was a developer likely to use the Kiln merge testnet vs. other testnets?

When choosing a testnet, a developer would deploy to the Kiln testnet to experiment with their application's functionality on a proof-of-stake beacon chain. 

For instance, if a developer created an NFT smart contract and wanted to ensure it ran as intended after the Ethereum merge, they could use the Kiln testnet to test the contract functionality. 

There are many different types of testnets, and each serves a different purpose for testing applications. For an overview, read Alchemy’s guide on Ethereum testnets to learn when different testnets should be utilized. 

Many of the current testnets are still using the proof-of-work consensus and will soon be deprecated and replaced with proof-of-stake testnets. 

How to Get Testnet ETH

Since the deprecation of the Kiln testnet, developers and Ethereum enthusiasts have transitioned to using the Sepolia testnet as an alternative testnet for testing Ethereum protocol upgrades and smart contracts. Here's a step-by-step guide on obtaining Sepolia ETH from a Sepolia testnet faucet that allows anyone to send a small amount of fake ETH to their wallet.

  1. Head to Alchemy's free Sepolia Faucet
  2. Sign in to your Alchemy account
  3. Enter your wallet address or ENS name
  4. Click "Send Me ETH"
Sepolia faucet interface for getting free SepoliaETH

A popup will display ‘Transaction sent’ with the amount of Sepolia ETH deposited to your wallet.

Next, you can check your Ethereum wallet to confirm you received the SepoliaETH.

With your Sepolia ETH, you can now run smart contracts on the Sepolia testnet.

To view the date and time, transaction fee, gas burnt, and other transaction details, you can look up your transaction hash on the Sepolia Etherscan.

Deprecation Notice: The Kiln testnet was deprecated by the Ethereum Foundation during the week of September 12th, and as of September 26th, 2022, Alchemy's Kiln faucet has been deprecated.

Testnets allow developers to test the functionality of their applications before deploying them to a blockchain’s mainnet’s production environment. Before Ethereum switches its consensus mechanism from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, developers must have a safe environment to test their applications and guarantee a smooth transition when the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade takes place. 

The Ethereum Kiln merge testnet helps developers test their applications on the post-merge Ethereum blockchain. The Kiln testnet launched as a proof-of-work blockchain in parallel with the Beacon chain, and merged on March 15, 2022, transitioning to a fully proof-of-stake system allowing developers, node operators, and stakers to get familiar with a post-merge Ethereum environment. 

This article covers the essential aspects of the Kiln testnet, including why a developer would use it, how to acquire and send testnet Ether, and an overview of helpful tools for building, monitoring, and testing applications.

What is the Kiln testnet?

The Kiln testnet simulates the Ethereum mainnet's merge with the beacon chain, initiating the complete transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake network consensus. Kiln’s merge testnet acts as a development environment for developers, node validators, and stakers to experiment with their application(s) functionality on the upcoming Ethereum upgrade to proof-of-stake consensus before The Merge takes place. 

Kiln launched as a proof-of-work system and transitioned to proof-of-stake on March 15, 2022, and is maintained by the Ethereum developer team. The public Kiln testnet currently has 110,000 active validators with 3.5 million ETH staked. The network has processed 1.3 million total transactions at an average of eight thousand per day since its inception.

Is the Kiln testnet deprecated?

As of September 26th, 2022, Alchemy's Kiln faucet has been deprecated and no longer serving active requests as the Kiln Testnet has been deprecated by the Ethereum Foundation.

Why was a developer likely to use the Kiln merge testnet vs. other testnets?

When choosing a testnet, a developer would deploy to the Kiln testnet to experiment with their application's functionality on a proof-of-stake beacon chain. 

For instance, if a developer created an NFT smart contract and wanted to ensure it ran as intended after the Ethereum merge, they could use the Kiln testnet to test the contract functionality. 

There are many different types of testnets, and each serves a different purpose for testing applications. For an overview, read Alchemy’s guide on Ethereum testnets to learn when different testnets should be utilized. 

Many of the current testnets are still using the proof-of-work consensus and will soon be deprecated and replaced with proof-of-stake testnets. 

How to Get Testnet ETH

Since the deprecation of the Kiln testnet, developers and Ethereum enthusiasts have transitioned to using the Sepolia testnet as an alternative testnet for testing Ethereum protocol upgrades and smart contracts. Here's a step-by-step guide on obtaining Sepolia ETH from a Sepolia testnet faucet that allows anyone to send a small amount of fake ETH to their wallet.

  1. Head to Alchemy's free Sepolia Faucet
  2. Sign in to your Alchemy account
  3. Enter your wallet address or ENS name
  4. Click "Send Me ETH"
Sepolia faucet interface for getting free SepoliaETH

A popup will display ‘Transaction sent’ with the amount of Sepolia ETH deposited to your wallet.

Next, you can check your Ethereum wallet to confirm you received the SepoliaETH.

With your Sepolia ETH, you can now run smart contracts on the Sepolia testnet.

To view the date and time, transaction fee, gas burnt, and other transaction details, you can look up your transaction hash on the Sepolia Etherscan.

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