Bitcoin Testnet vs Regtest - Reading Assignment

Bitcoin Programming 101
#1

Welcome to this reading assignment, answer questions below and feel free to discuss the assignment here.

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
  2. What is regtest mode?
  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each? (TRY TO THINK FOR YOURSELF)
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#2

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
    it’s a public test-blockchain where the bitcoin does not have read world value that works similarly as the mainnet blockchain. In this way it is safe to test out some functionality.

  2. What is regtest mode?
    Regtest (regression test) mode creates a local private blockchain where you can adjust the parameters to what you want. You usually use this when it is not needed to communicate with other peers and blocks.
    An example what you can do with the parameters is you can create blocks instantly

  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each? (TRY TO THINK FOR YOURSELF)
    advantage regtest: you don’t have to wait until blocks are mined / you don’t need a network connection to the internet
    disadvantage regtest: you cannot test functionality that requires connections to random peers or blocks

    advantage testnet: it is much closer to the functionality of the mainnet
    disadvantage testnet: everybody can connect so a lot of “testing” is being done so the network is not really thrustworthy if you test your application on this network.

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#3

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
    This is a full publicly used Bitcoin implementation but it is not part of the mainnet.

  2. What is regtest mode?
    This also runs a full implementation of Bitcoin but it exists privately only on your local computer. This allows for greater speed and control over your testing environment.

  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each? (TRY TO THINK FOR YOURSELF)
    Testnet: Pro simulated experience to mainnet / Con Need faucet satoshis and more time
    Regtest: Pro complete control for speed and testing / Con Not a realistic experience of mainnet

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#4

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
    Testnet is a test network where I can test my applications with reduced risks and limitations. Compared to the main network (mainnet), it is much cheaper, transactions cost just a few satoshis that I can get on a faucet.
    It is a global testing environment which mostly mimics mainnet.

  2. What is regtest mode?
    Regtest mode is a short expression for “regression test mode”. It is a local testing environment in which I can almost instantly generate blocks on demand for testing events, and can create private satoshis with no real-world value.

  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each?

  • As @Capaburro said it well, it seems that testnet looks much more like the mainnet (as bitcoin.org says, that it “mimics” mainnet).

  • The advantage with regtest is I choose when I want to create a new private chain of blocks, and it gives me complete control over the environment. It is also the way developers usually prefer to develop new application. Furthermore, it seems that it easier and costs absolutely nothing to get some satoshis, compared to testnet where we need to find a faucet to get some real satoshis (that have almost no value of course).

Does someone has a good explanation of what Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) are? :thinking: :slight_smile:

#5

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
    Testnet in Bitcoin is the public test network for Bitcoin, with real users and miners running their nodes in test mode. In the testnet your “testnet bitcoins” don’t hold any value and there are less restrictions, e.g. users/developers can test more functions that are not available in the mainnet.

  2. What is regtest mode?
    The regtest mode is a very useful mode that users/developers can use in their bitcoin “nodes”. In this mode the bitcoin daemon creates a blockchain entirely on the computer, not connected to the network and the user controls the mining times, therefore not a real “node” connected to a network. There are special rules for the mining, like the user needing 100 confirmations to be able to use the mined bitcoin (e.g. 101 blocks allows the user to access the first 50bitcoins mined in the genesis block)

  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each?
    The regtest mode allows for a very fast and efficient way to test functionality that doesn’t require a real network, e.g. constructing and validating transactions or blocks, but has the disadvantage of not being a real blockchain with PoW. In the testnet things are much slower because it simulates the real mainnet with ~10min block times and its a real network with real network problems (delays, package corruption, package loss…), but on the positive side allows to test the entire functionality the developer has been working on (e.g. broadcasting the transactions), not just things that can run without a network like in regtest mode.

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#6

Testnet is a way to see how application might work on the bitcoin network before sending real money. It includes block times and interaction with other nodes which act much like regular nodes except for a few small exceptions.

Regtest is a test blockchain only held on the users computer. It therefore does not require interaction with other nodes and block times are completely under the control of the individual developer. This allows for faster experimentation, which is sequestered from the rest of the ecosystem.

Testnet is better once a application is close to deployment and the creator of said application wants a better understanding of how it might interact in the actual bitcoin ecosystem.

Regtest is better when the application is earlier on in its development, as one does not have to interact or wait for outside nodes to verify blocks.

PS. Why is it that teachable never records when I am finished with a module. Of course I can remember where I am myself, but if I want to get a certificate of completion this is going to a problem. This has happened with other coursed I’ve taken here as well. And yes, I am logged in. Cheers.

#7

Check your cookies settings, might be something to do with the browser cookies being deleted or not created.

#8
  • What is testnet in Bitcoin?

A set of nodes with bitcoind running with a -testnet flag enabled.

  1. It has some restrictions disabled
  2. coins can be obtained from faucet so they do not have any value.
  3. I guess, no mining happens since standard tx checks are disabled (I might be misunderstandign the manual. @ivan, please correct me if I’m wrong). But transactions still get distributed in the decentralized manner.
  • What is regtest mode?

A mode with instant transactions. When the entire network is your localhost.

What is the advantage and disadvantage of each?

Regtest is safer and faster.
testnet has other people around, so it’s more true-to-life. Also you can share your dApp so that other people in the community could check it out and give feedback. Also you can learn by interacting with other users (in your class, for example) without putting real money at risk.

#9

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
    In Testnet mode your node is part of the public test-blockchain. Your node needs to sync with the rest of the test-network.

  2. What is regtest mode?
    In regtest mode you create a local blockchain on your computer and you don’t need to connect to the internet. In programming context, regression-test usually means you check that your new functionality don’t break other parts of the program.

  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each?
    Regression test is faster, and it doesn’t needs to sync with the network. But it doesn’t provide a real chain experience
    Testnet is slower but it’s closer to real chain environment.

#10

  1. Bitcoin Testnet is a network that is suppose to replicate the functions of Bitcoin Network without the Bitcoin on the network having any value.

  2. Regtest is a single user Bitcoin network.

  3. The advantage of Regtest is speed and control. Faster way to test and learn. Regtest would be a really bad choice for testing a final product before putting it on main net. Test Net carries the same limits as main net without the risk of financial loss due to bugs or mistakes. This is the best way to beta test a product and find the final bugs.

#11

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?**
    It’s a working copy of the mainnet where the tokens has no value.

  2. What is regtest mode?
    regtest create a local blockchain on your PC withou an internet connectioon you can do allt the stuff you can do on a mainnet as well.

  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each? (TRY TO THINK FOR YOURSELF)**
    Regtset is faster and great for experiments

#12
  1. Public test blockchain for testing applications that interact with bitcoin node.
  2. Private local blockchain for testing and development.
  • Public test blockchain is more like the main blockchain where you have to wait for transactions to be confirmed which slows down development.
  • In regtest you mine the transactions instantly which is a lot faster but you can’t test functionalities that depend on a live network.
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#13
  1. Testnet is a network separate with Mainnet (Having Real value of coins) which follows all the default rules of the mainnet, mainly used to test new features before using on the testnet but no real-value by default.
  2. Regtest mode is type of Bitcoin blockchain which also follows all the default rules of the mainnet but can be started from the genesis block and be default creates 150 blocks so as to enable spending of initial blocks as 100 confirmations are required in order to spend the coinbase addresses.
  3. Mainnet Advantages:- Have Real value.
    Mainnet Disadvantages :- If any code bugs results in coin loss, you lose real value for ever.
    Testnet Adv. :- As coins have no real value, you aren’t storing any value. Can be used to test code.
    Testnet Disav. :- Has no hash power and hence, code can’t be tested againt attackers.
    Regtest Adv. :- Can be started in few seconds from genesis block. No requirement of broadcasting blocks/ transactions.
    Regtest Disadv. :- Can’t be used to deploy any blockchain infrastructure for real people to use.
#14

  1. The testnet is a publicly available implementation of Bitcoin where applications from developers can be tested in a simulation of the real Bitcoin network. It has some slightly modified rules to allow testing to occur on a regular basis such as difficulty adjustments as it does not have the same number of miners available. The coins used in transactions have no real world value.

  2. Regtest mode allows a developer to run a simulation of the Bitcoin network privately, where the developer is responsible for mining and transactions.

The advantage of Testnet is:

It allows you to test an application in a more realistic fashion where transaction speed is subject to mining wait times in finding the next block for the blockchain. You can monitor the performance of your application under more realistic conditions. You do not have to test your application with real bitcoin.

The disadvantage of Testnet is:

It is publicly available, so all sorts of different applications are creating transactions to test their applications; thus, your application’s transactions are competing with others to be placed in a new block, their is the possibility of others spamming the network, mining might not guarantee the same 10 minute time wait for finding the next block as the hashrate on the network is lower than the ‘real’ mainnet. You are also subject to the speed of your internet connection. Since you are not responsible for mining, you will need to acquire testnet bitcoin/satoshis via faucets.

Advantage of Regtest:

Regtest gives you complete control of mining and testing and can give you more instantaneous feedback to code that is not quite UAT or production ready as you control the time to create a block and process transactions from the application without competition. As it runs on your LAN, you are able to control the security of it and it will be fast as your local network conditions allow.

Disadvantage of Regtest:

You are responsible for mining as well as code development. You are responsible for all peers that your application may need to connect to. Performance testing under real world conditions with competing applications as the mainnet has would be harder to do.

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#15

What is testnet in Bitcoin?
IT is BitCoin’s test network

What is regtest mode?
When run in regtest mode bitcoin core creates a local private testing environment that creates blocks on demand

What is the advantage and disadvantage of each?
An advantage of both is that applications can be tested against a chain but do not require real Bitcoin.
An advantage of the testnet over regtest mode is that it runs transactions in a manner resembling the main net.
An advantage of regtest is that it is fast to get started and creates blocks on demand.
A disadvantage of the testnet is that the developer has to ask someone to send him/her test bitcoin.
A disadvantage of regtest mode is that while an application can be tested agains actual RPC calls performance is not like the main net which could lead to incorrect decisions about performance and security.

#16
  1. test network like a training camp of bitcoin you go there to learn
  2. pretty much the same as testnet just you can create new block whenever you want.
    3.well both have same advantage that you can practice there, disadvantage of testnet that some functions can be disabled on mainnet, advantage that relaxes some restrictions. advantage of regtest you can avoid interactions not sure about disadvantage.
#17

  1. Testnet seems to be an environment created by the bitcoin community that other members can use to practice with bitcoin programming.

  2. Regtest seems to be an environment which will give you a bitcoin like scaffolding, but one in which you create the rules which allows you to customize the application.

  3. the advantage of bitcoin test net is you can run scenarios that will actually mimic the bitcoin environment. The advantage of Regtest is you can really get creative and try new application ideas.

#18
  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
    Testnet in Bitcoin is a public . accessible sandbox designed for developers to allow new functionality to be tried
  2. What is regtest mode? Regtest is a similar public sandbox on the bitcoin .
    network where developers can create a private blockchain but is not connected to random peers or blocks, resulting in greater speed
  3. **What is the advantage and disadvantage of each?
    testnet advantage is that it allows full interaction and mimics the mainnet, without having to wait 10 minutes n for blocks to be created. It does allow testing where connectivity to random peers and blocks. However it takes longer to process.
    Whereas Regtest isquicket but does not give the full . functionality experience . as it is not connected to random peers or blocks.
#19

  1. What is testnet in Bitcoin?
    It is the test network for Bitcoin where we can test Bitcoin without any real-world value.

  2. What is regtest mode?
    In regtest mode, developers can build a blockchain entirely only on their local computers. Developers can adjust when to generate new blocks.

  3. What is the advantage and disadvantage of each?
    The advantage of testnet is no real-world value that can be used for testing applications. It is a public resource which can simulate mainnet.
    The disadvantage of testnet is that it needs faucet satoshis and more time.

    The advantage of regtest mode is that we can create blocks instantly.
    The disadvantage of regtest mode is not a realistic experience of mainnet.

1 Like
#20
  1. Testnet is a way to test coding on Bitcoin without screwing up or having to wait 10 minutes for a block to be created
  2. Regtest mode is the same as testnet but we can also create new blocks whenever we want.
  3. Advantage is that we can test without causing damage and also for free. We dont have to wait for confirmations and its easier to test new stuff and learn, see what works. Disadvantage that this is not real and that testnet can`t create new blocks