2025-03-20
On March 18, 2025, Ethereum Foundation annnounced that it will stop using its Holesky
test network on September 30, 2025, after it faced problems testing the
upcoming Pectra upgrade. A new test network called Hoodi will replace Holesky.
Why is Holesky Shutting Down?
Holesky went offline in February due to
a failed test of the Pectra update.
Developers took weeks to fix it, and
though it came back in March, it still had issues.
One major problem was "inactivity
leaks," which made it hard to remove validators quickly.
Normally, validators should be able to
exit in a reasonable time, but on Holesky, this would take about one year.
Because of these problems, Ethereum
developers decided to retire Holesky and replace it with Hoodi.
What is a Test Network?
Ethereum test networks (testnets) help
developers try out new updates before adding them to the real Ethereum
blockchain.
Testnets act like a copy of Ethereum
but without real money at stake.
Holesky was designed to test Ethereum’s
validator system, which includes the people and software that keep Ethereum
running.
It was bigger than the previous
testnet, Goerli, and even had more validators than the real Ethereum network.
What Happens Next?
The Hoodi testnet launched earlier this
week and will test the Pectra upgrade on March 26, 2025.
If that test goes well, Ethereum will apply
Pectra to the main Ethereum network about 30 days later.
Holesky will still be available until
September 2025, but it won’t be used for full validator testing anymore.
Timeline for Ethereum Testnets
Holesky
For validators and staking providers – ends
September 30, 2025.
Sepolia
For application and tooling developers
– ends September 30, 2026.
Hoodi
For validators and staking providers – ends
September 30, 2028
New Sepolia replacement is expected in March 2026.
For now, developers and staking
providers should start using Hoodi instead of Holesky.
