Ahead of its forthcoming Prague-Electra, or “Pectra,” fork, Ethereum has launched a temporary testnet, known as Mekong. In a Thursday blog post, the Ethereum Foundation – a non-profit making organization supporting Ethereum announced the launch, saying it would help developers to experiment with future upgrades.
According to the foundation, Mekong will enable developers to harness user experience (UX) changes and get familiar with upcoming upgrades for the Prague-Electra, or “Pectra,” fork on the blockchain. While describing Mekong as a playground for all wallet developers to explore UX modifications, the group also said the testnet will also caters to stakers looking to gain more confidence ahead of the upcoming changes.
It added that developers should expect minor spec modifications, especially for smaller Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs). However, the team affirmed that all the embedded features will be incorporated into existing public testnets and finally into the mainnet.
Sharing more insights, Tim Beiko, protocol support lead at the Ethereum Foundation, asserted that the Mekong testnet will be short-lived. Beiko described it as a “pre-Devcon” treat, in reference to the imminent Devcon conference in Bangkok. The exec says the name “Mekong” pays tribute to the Mekong River which flows through various Southeast Asian countries, especially Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Mekong Testnet covers all EIPs for Prague-Electra Upgrade
Meanwhile, the testnet covers all the EIPs for the Pectra fork of Prague-Electra upgrade. This, according to the Ethereum Foundation, cuts across modifications to UX, staking, deposits, and many more. Similarly, it covers several other proposed EIPs. For stakers, the team highlighted some changes coming to Pectra, with the Mekong testnet being the first to check them out.
In its press release, the foundation encourages developers to provide accurate feedback after exploring the testnet.
That being said, the ongoing Mekong testnet will not affect other aspect of the Ethereum networks. In fact, the foundation clarified that it won’t affect even other Ethereum testnets like Holesky and Sepolia.
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