Testing Applications¶

Testnet¶

When run with no arguments, all Pandora Core programs default to Pandora’s main network (mainnet). However, for development, it’s safer and cheaper to use Pandora’s test network (testnet) where the jus spent have no real-world value. Testnet also relaxes some restrictions (such as standard transaction checks) so you can test functions which might currently be disabled by default on mainnet.

To use testnet, use the argument -testnet with pandora-cli, pandorad or pandora-qt or add testnet=1 to your pandora.conf file as described earlier. To get free jus for testing, use Piotr Piasecki’s testnet faucet. Testnet is a public resource provided for free by members of the community, so please don’t abuse it.

Regtest Mode¶

For situations where interaction with random peers and blocks is unnecessary or unwanted, Pandora Core’s regression test mode (regtest mode) lets you instantly create a brand-new private block chain with the same basic rules as testnet—but one major difference: you choose when to create new blocks, so you have complete control over the environment.

Many developers consider regtest mode the preferred way to develop new applications. The following example will let you create a regtest environment after you first configure pandorad.

> pandorad -regtest -daemon
Pandora server starting

Start pandorad in regtest mode to create a private block chain.

## Pandora Core 0.10.1 and earlier
pandora-cli -regtest setgenerate true 101

## Pandora Core 17.1 and earlier
pandora-cli -regtest generate 101

## Pandora Core 18.0 and later
pandora-cli -regtest generatetoaddress 101 $(pandora-cli -regtest getnewaddress)

Generate 101 blocks using a special RPC which is only available in regtest mode. This takes less than a second on a generic PC. Because this is a new block chain using Pandora’s default rules, the first blocks pay a block reward of 50 pandoras. Unlike mainnet, in regtest mode only the first 150 blocks pay a reward of 50 pandoras. However, a block must have 100 confirmations before that reward can be spent, so we generate 101 blocks to get access to the coinbase transaction from block #1.

pandora-cli -regtest getbalance
50.00000000

Verify that we now have 50 pandoras available to spend.

You can now use Pandora Core RPCs prefixed with pandora-cli -regtest.

Regtest wallets and block chain state (chainstate) are saved in the regtest subdirectory of the Pandora Core configuration directory. You can safely delete the regtest subdirectory and restart Pandora Core to start a new regtest. (See the Developer Examples Introduction for default configuration directory locations on various operating systems. Always back up mainnet wallets before performing dangerous operations such as deleting.)