< Why did Sonic (@SonicLabs), which already has a mainnet, launch a testnet? > The EVM-compatible L1 blockchain Sonic has launched testnet 2.1! However, Sonic already released its mainnet in December 2024. So, why is Sonic, which has a mainnet, launching a new testnet this time? In short, it can be seen as "to safely introduce new features without compromising stability." The mainnet is a live environment where real money and users are involved. Therefore, if new features are applied immediately, it can lead to network instability or security issues. That's why they experiment on the testnet first for safe upgrades! In particular, the newly launched Sonic testnet 2.1 was released to test compatibility with Ethereum's Pectra upgrade. This is also an important update that will soon be applied to the mainnet. ⚡Differences between Mainnet and Testnet 2.1 1. Purpose Mainnet: Real operating environment (production) Testnet 2.1: Development/testing environment (staging) 2. Technology Mainnet: Compatibility at the level of Ethereum's Cancun-Deneb Testnet 2.1: Additional Pectra upgrade (EIP-7702, EIP-7594, etc.) For reference, Pectra is a significant update aimed at improving the performance and scalability of the Ethereum network, and it includes key technologies such as: Account abstraction (EIP-7702): Allows user accounts to operate like smart contracts Data availability optimization (EIP-7594): Significantly increases network processing efficiency Enhanced cross-chain functionality: Makes interactions with Ethereum more flexible 🧐Why is the testnet named 2.1? The reason this testnet is named 2.1 is that a version called Blaze 2.0 has already been released. In simple terms, it means that the Pectra features have been added while maintaining the existing technology. - Testnet 2.0 Blaze: A version operated for final checks before last year's mainnet launch. - Testnet 2.1: This version is a minor update that maintains the basic structure of 2.0 while adding the specific feature of 'Pectra compatibility.' Since it is not a large-scale (Major) change that alters the entire network structure, it seems they chose to name it 2.1 instead of raising it to 3.0!