Following two problematic tests of Ethereum’s upcoming Pectra upgrades, the network’s core developers decided on Thursday to create a new testnet to demonstrate code updates at the last time before deployment.
“The new testnet, Hooli, will be released on Monday to close out the Pectra test,” said Tim Beiko, who coordinates the core developers of the Ethereum Foundation ecosystem in an X post following Thursday’s developer call. Pectra will be tested at Hooli on Wednesday, March 26th. The test chain has been upgraded to a new version of Ethereum and evaluated for performance and stability.
Pectra includes several code changes designed to make Ethereum faster, more efficient and more user-friendly for both users and developers. One of the most important improvements is to add a “smart contract” feature to your address, allowing your user wallet to be programmed with new features, including the ability to pay trading fees in currencies other than ETH.
If the Hooli test is successful, Beiko said it would launch the upgrade in about 30 days, provided that the developers test it further. If everything goes as planned, Ethereum users can expect Pectra to reach the ecosystem’s main network in late April or early May.
The Hooli TestNet was created following complications from the Pectra test of Holesky, the leading test network for Sepolia and Ethereum. In both cases, configuration errors prevented proper testing of the Pectra upgrade. In Holesky’s case, the network was offline for several weeks due to flawed test issues.
Test networks such as Holesky, Sepolia, and Hooli work roughly the same as the main Ethereum network, but are generally free to use and are not intended to support real value. Major upgrades like Pectra will be implemented in Ethereum’s test network prior to full deployment on the mainnet, as actual Ethereum network disruption can be very expensive.
According to Beiko, Sepolia and Holesky are currently running Pectra successfully – serving a variety of test purposes. “If you need to test a valid exit, keep an eye on (Hooli)! Everything else can be tested on Sepolia & Holesky,” Beiko said in X in her post Thursday.
The technical setback for Pectra comes at a difficult time for Ethereum. The network faces pressure from a decline in ETH prices, a transition in leadership at the Ethereum Foundation, and growing skepticism about its ability to maintain market dominance amid competition with new blockchains like Solana. Industry figures consider the success of Pectra’s implementation important to restore confidence in Ethereum’s technical roadmap.
