ℹ️ Introduction To SUI Network Testnets
Sui offers multiple blockchain environments, each tailored to a specific stage in the development and deployment process:
- Mainnet: The live, production network where real SUI and assets are traded. This is the network users interact with when performing actual transactions.
- Testnet: A stable staging environment used to test updates and applications before they go live. Developers use Testnet to validate performance and functionality without risking real assets.
- Devnet: An experimental network for developing and testing upcoming features. It is less stable but gives developers early access to new protocol changes.
- Localnet: A private Sui network that runs locally on a developer’s machine. Ideal for debugging and rapid iteration in a controlled environment.
Attribute | Devnet | Testnet | Mainnet |
Validator Set | 4 Mysten Labs-operated validators | ~95 community validators + 2 Mysten Labs-operated validators | >100 community validators + 2 Mysten Labs-operated validators |
Full Nodes | Community + Mysten Labs operated | Community + Mysten Labs operated | Community + Mysten Labs operated |
Validator Locations | US-East | Geo-distributed | Geo-distributed |
JSON API URL | https://fullnode.devnet.sui.io:443 | https://fullnode.testnet.sui.io:443 | https://fullnode.mainnet.sui.io:443 |
Discord Faucet | Available | Available | Not applicable |
Faucet Unit | 1 SUI per request | 1 SUI per request | Not applicable |
Epoch Duration | 24 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours |
Reference Gas Price | 1000 MIST | Starts at 1000 MIST; adjusted by validator surveys per epoch | Starts at 1000 MIST; adjusted by validator surveys per epoch |
Storage Gas Price | 76 MIST | 76 MIST | 76 MIST |
Stake Subsidies | 1B SUI, distributed from epoch 2 in 10-epoch cycles | Same as Devnet | 1B SUI, distributed from epoch 20 over 90-epoch cycles |
Release Cadence | Weekly releases + hotfixes | Bi-weekly (or weekly if new changes are cherry-picked) | Bi-weekly (one revision behind Testnet) |
Data Durability | Not durable; wiped regularly | Generally persists; wipes announced ahead of time if needed | Durable and permanent |
Incident Support | Mysten Labs-managed | Community validators coordinate response | Community validators coordinate response |
