Goerli (also known as Görli) is the first community-built testnet for Ethereum launched in early 2019. Initially an ETHBerlin hackathon project, Goerli quickly evolved into a proof-of-authority-based environment for Web3 developers to experiment with their decentralized applications before going to the mainnet.
Right before the big Merge event taking place in September 2022, when Ethereum changed its consensus mechanism from Proof-of-Work to Proof-of-Stake, Goerli became the last testnet to try out the new consensus. Nevertheless, let’s talk about what makes Goerli a popular testnet for Ethereum users and break down some of its basic features.
What is the Goerli Testnet?
As mentioned above, Goerli was launched in early 2019 – to be exact, the concept itself was initially introduced in September 2018. Today Goerli offers cross-client functionality for web3 developers working on Ethereum.
What is an Ethereum client, you may ask? A client represents a central idea in the Ethereum ecosystem. This “implementation of the Ethereum blockchain works to validate information and guarantee security” and uses a variety of different programming languages, such as C#, Java, Go, and Rust. Clients allow Ethereum nodes to work with each other, however, depending on the programming language used by a client to build a node, they offer different node software. That’s when a new problem arises. In the past each Ethereum testnet was able to support only one client, which was limiting and overall inefficient.
Things changed with the introduction of Goerli – this testnet is seamlessly compatible with various clients, which also means that it supports a bigger selection of node software. As a result, dApp builders can now utilize the same testnet tools for different programming languages.
Related: What is an Ethereum Node: Clients and Network Infrastructure
Why do developers build on the Goerli testnet?
Testnets provide an opportunity for developers to make sure all of the dApp requirements are evaluated and well-met before their creations are launched on the mainnet. First and foremost, users can save time and money by developing a new dApp on the testnet. For example, they do not have to pay such costly gas fees. At the same time, testnet are nearly identical copies of blockchains. They provide the same on-chain conditions. This is the place where different projects can be “pre-released” to see how the public will react. You can also make alterations to your product before the official launch.
Goerli is a go-to choice for many dApp developers due to this project’s increased security alongside minimum risks and bugs. Therefore, launching your dApp from Goerli to the Ethereum mainnet is easy and safe.
What are Goerli faucets?
As we previously mentioned, with testnets you do not have to pay costly gas fees; however, it is worth noting that they still require you to pay for transactions. Nevertheless, testnets still differ a lot from mainnets. For instance, you can use the so-called faucets to acquire testnet tokens and cover all of your fees with them. To use these web applications and receive testnet tokens, you need to input your wallet address.
One of the possible ways for you to receive testnet tokens is to connect Goerli to a MetaMask wallet. Here’s how you can do it:
- Log into the MetaMask wallet
- Go to network dropdown → Select Ethereum mainnet
- Click “Add Network
- Click “Advanced”
- Find “Show test networks” and click “ON”
- Go back to the network dropdown and add Goerli Test Network
How to Get Testnet ETH from a Goerli Faucet
Now, what about receiving testnet tokens? Is there a way to get testnet Ether with the help of a MetaMask wallet? Check out by following these steps:
Go to Goerli Authenticated Faucet
- Copy and paste the address of your MetaMask wallet in a draft tweet
- After your tweet is posted, copy its URL address
- Paste it to Goerli Authenticated Faucet
- Choose the amount of Ether tokens you want to have
- Wait until the transaction is confirmed and check your MetaMask balance
Goerli Testnet Explorer – Goerli Etherscan: Key Features
What is Goerli Etherscan? This prominent Goerli testnet explorer is a source for developers to look up the entire history and/or the current state of the Goerli test network by searching addresses, hashes, blocks, tokens, services, and all sorts of other information. Acting on behalf of an online search engine for Goerli, this service can help Web3 developers learn more about the testnet and its use cases. Moreover, you can check if your smart contract has been successfully deployed and view your transaction history on Goerli via this easy-to-use intuitive online dashboard.
Related: What is Blockchain Explorer: Explained by GetBlock
Goerli on Arbitrum and Optimism
You can also try out Goerli faucets on Arbitrum and Optimism. Both Arbitrum Goerli and Optimism Goerli are stable and secure testnets for dApp development. Depending on the blockchain where you want to launch your Web3 project, you can use Goerli faucets to receive testnet tokens to bridge them to Arbitrum or Optimism.
Final thoughts
If you have made it this far, congratulations! Now you have got a general overview of the Goerli testnet for Ethereum. This cross-client compatible service offers an array of features perfect for all types of decentralized application developers.
It is important to highlight that testnets are essential for blockchain developers and builders as they enable a safe environment for experimenting and testing applications before showcasing them to the public. This way, you can save a lot of time and money and make blockchain development more accessible.
By connecting your MetaMask wallet to the Goerli testnet, you can also receive testnet Ether tokens to cover transaction fees when building a dApp.
What’s more, you can check out GetBlock’s node infrastructure for the Ethereum network to help you create all sorts of blockchain-based applications. GetBlock’s shared nodes for Ethereum are great for beginners and Web3 startups, whereas Ethereum dedicated nodes are privately designed and developed based on your specific requirements.
