Networks & Test ADA
Before you build anything, pick a network and get some test ADA. You never need real ADA to develop: the testnets mirror mainnet using test ADA (tAda) that has no value, and a faucet hands it out for free.
Choose a network
| Network | Network magic | Purpose | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainnet | 764824073 | Production; live, real-value apps | Real ADA |
| Preprod | 1 | Final validation; mirrors mainnet closely (hard-forks within an epoch of mainnet) | Test ADA |
| Preview | 2 | Test upcoming features (hard-forks 4+ weeks before mainnet) | Test ADA |
| Local devnet | custom | Fast offline iteration, CI, custom scenarios | Test ADA |
Network magic is the identifier each network advertises during the node handshake. Mainnet's 764824073 is a fixed historical value; the public testnets use small numbers.
Use Preprod for most development: it behaves like mainnet. Use Preview to try features before they reach mainnet. There is also SanchoNet for governance testing (sancho.network).
Only deploy to mainnet after thorough testnet testing. Mainnet transactions use real ADA and cannot be reversed.
Get test ADA
Test ADA (tAda) has no real-world value but lets you transact freely.
- Preview and Preprod: request it from the Cardano Testnet Faucet. Paste your wallet address, click "Request funds", and it arrives within a minute or two.
- Guild network (1-hour epochs, for rapid epoch-boundary testing): request manually in the Guild Operators channel.
You will need a testnet address first, which your wallet or SDK generates (Keys & Wallets explains how). Testnet addresses start with addr_test.
Testnet wallets
- Light wallets: most Cardano browser and mobile wallets support the testnets. Switch the network to Preview or Preprod in settings, and browse wallets at cardano.org/apps.
- Hardware: supported through a browser wallet extension on Preview and Preprod.
- Programmatic: SDKs (see Choose your tools) or the cardano-wallet HTTP API
Block explorers
Inspect your transactions, addresses, and blocks at explorer.cardano.org, which aggregates the major Cardano explorers and supports deeplinks. Pick the URL for your network:
| Network | Explorer |
|---|---|
| Mainnet | explorer.cardano.org |
| Preprod | explorer.cardano.org/preprod |
| Preview | explorer.cardano.org/preview |
Develop locally (optional)
For offline, deterministic iteration you can run a local network instead of a public testnet. See Local development networks for the options (Yaci DevKit and cardano-testnet) and how to set them up.
Next steps
- Your first transaction: now build, sign, and submit one
- Set up your AI assistant: optionally give your AI coding assistant current Cardano context first