Input Output Global (IOG), the company behind the development of Cardano, has launched a public testnet for its new toolkit aimed at creating custom sidechains.
📢OUT NOW: Following the latest #sidechain toolkit announcement, the #EVM sidechain proof of concept public testnet is now available! #Cardano
— Input Output (@InputOutputHK) February 7, 2023
The EVM sidechain testnet will showcase the capability to bring Cardano’s security features to other communities. The testnet is connected to a dedicated Cardano testnet, enabling the community to transfer test tokens, run DApps and smart contracts written in Solidity between the two networks.
Decentralization and interoperability are key to the future of blockchain. These features ensure that no person or entity is able to control a blockchain, or be restricted to just one ecosystem.
To grow, from both engineering and social perspectives, most applications and communities need to be empowered with their own sovereignty and design choices.reads the blog post about the new toolkit.
To enable this interoperable environment, IOG has been working on the creation of a toolkit for building a family of sidechains. With this toolkit, anyone can start to leverage Cardano’s security and infrastructure to create mission-specific sidechains. The EVM sidechain proves the feasibility of this concept. the team adds.
The toolkit is intended to empower developers by allowing them to build in their native language without being restricted to specific networks. While the EVM testnet only allows developers to write in Solidity, IOG will assess the potential for broader technical explorations with other networks in order to achieve wider adoption.
The toolkit is a system for a sidechain to have its own consensus algorithm and features while being connected to a main chain. The main chain Plutus scripts run on the main chain and support secure cross-chain transactions and token movement.
The chain follower tracks main-chain data and the sidechain module implements the necessary ledger adaptations. The finality of blocks is determined through a consensus mechanism relying on the security of the main chain.
As a proof-of-concept, IOG will collaborate with the Cardano community to collect feedback for improvement and encourage participation as the solution evolves. During its pilot phase, the testnet will be periodically respun.
While IOG will notify developers in advance, it cannot guarantee any continued state or uptime due to its nature. Finally, it is meant to be a community resource, and IOG encourages developers and SPOs to participate and collaborate.
