ℹ Introduction To Polkadot Testnets
Polkadot offers public test networks that allow developers to safely build, test, and experiment with applications, parachains, and protocol features—without risking real assets. These networks use tokens with no economic value and provide free access through faucets.
- Westend:Westend is Polkadot’s primary protocol-level testnet. It mirrors mainnet behavior and is used for testing upgrades, runtime features, and core functionality. The native token isWND, which can be claimed via the official faucet.
- Paseo:Paseo is a stable, community-run testnet designed forparachain and dApp development. It is not used for protocol-level testing. Developers can build and test in a realistic, decentralized environment usingPAStokens, available from the official faucet.
These testnets are essential tools for developers preparing applications for deployment on Polkadot’s mainnet.