Base is an L2 solution, created by Coinbase specifically for Ethereum developers. It is characterized by high transaction speed and active community support, so its Base Sepolia testnet is really useful when building apps on it. The reason is that it enables all network communications without spending real ETH or paying any commissions, as test ETH have no real value.
So, let’s see what is the test network, how to add it to your MetaMask account, and how to get test crypto on it.
What is Base Sepolia?
As an Ethereum scaling solution, Base enables quicker transactions, lower fees, and a higher level of support. So, it’s beneficial for Ethereum developers, and its testnet is a good place to test applications before deploying them. To start experimenting with the network, developers should first know how to add Base to Metamask.
The reason is that testnets operate similarly to the main network version (mainnet), but their tokens have no real value. Therefore, all operations here require no cost, which is highly beneficial for developing and testing. A specific tool, a faucet for Base tokens, is used to obtain them.
So, let’s see how to deal with it.
Adding Base Testnet to MetaMask: Preparatory Steps
First, register a MetaMask account if you don’t have one, or import your wallet here. That’s where the test network will appear, along with the test ETH obtained from the faucet. After that, register at GetBlock using your wallet address.
After registering, that’s what's next.
- Go to your account and choose Base protocol in the My endpoints menu.
- Select Sepolia network and JSON-RPC API/add-on.
- Click Get to obtain your personal free Base endpoint with the access token.
With free endpoint, you have 40,000 blockchain requests available at a limited speed. Still, it’s more than enough for personal use to obtain test ETH from the Base faucet. If you develop a commercial blockchain application, consider paid shared and dedicated nodes that can proceed with large numbers of requests quickly.
How to Add Base Sepolia to MetaMask: Tutorial
The link is your key to the network. You should add it to MetaMask, as it’s where you’ll obtain your test funds and interact with the blockchain. Let’s see how to do that.
Step 1: Add Base Sepolia network
In the MetaMask extension, start adding the new network.
- Open the three-dots icon on the top right, and click Settings;
- Scroll down and select the Network item;
- On the next tab below, click on the blue button labeled Add network.
- Proceed to the new browser tab, scroll down, and click Add a network manually.
After accessing the form for adding the network, the only thing that left is to add Sepolia Base parameters.
Step 2: Arrange Base Sepolia Parameters
Each blockchain has a similar set of parameters, which includes the RPC to interact with the network and send requests. See those for Base Sepolia below.
| Network | Base Sepolia |
|---|---|
| RPC URL | https://go.getblock.io/<Your_Access_Token> |
| Chain ID | 84532 |
| Currency | ETH |
| Block Explorer | https://sepolia.basescan.org/ |
Make sure to use exactly the endpoint you’ve obtained from GetBlock, so everything will work properly. After adding parameters, click Save.
Step 3: Select Base Sepolia Network
You’ll see the new network appears in the network list that can be accessed in the upper left. The current balance will be seen above, and you may notice that you cannot buy or swap anything, as testnets doesn’t allow it. To get test crypto, use faucets.
There are also Base Goerli testnet faucets, but it’s better to use Sepolia, a new version of the testnet, as it’s more stable and secure, while Goerli has been deprecated.
How to Get Base Test ETH on MetaMask?
Let’s see how to use the GetBlock faucets to obtain test crypto
- In the faucet list, select the Base Sepolia Faucet and click Try Now.
- After authorization, enter your MetaMask tesnnet address and click Claim Token.
- Complete a required captcha to obtain test ETH as a reward.
After some time, your funds will arrive, and you can start experimenting! But remember: they have no real value, and it’s impossible to pay for anything with them or send them to mainnet. No Base Sepolia bridge is possible, you can only transfer in the testnet.
Conclusion
Due to specifically provided testing environments and free test tokens, testnets are highly beneficial for blockchain enthusiasts and developers to explore and test the network properties and capabilities. There are the Base Goerli testnet faucet, which is the older and currently deprecated version, and Sepolia, which is actively developing and recommended to use now.
Thus, the Base Sepolia faucet is what you need to get free test ETH on your testnet address, after which you can use it to test dApps, try methods, and many other network purposes.
