With the launch of Orchard, Quai Network’s permanent public testing environment, several technical parameters have been modified to enhance the testing experience. This guide outlines the key differences between Orchard and mainnet configurations.
Connection
To connect to Orchard testnet, use:
--node.environment "orchard" --node.genesis-nonce "62242624366553750196964614682162313"
Software Requirements
Ensure you’re running the following (or newer) versions:
Network Configuration
The LibP2P broadcast port default has changed from 4001
to 4002
, remaining configurable via node.port
. Please ensure your node’s firewall accepts connections on your chosen port.
We’ve also modified coinbase unlock period and epoch length parameters. The coinbase unlock period is set to 1 day (compared to mainnet’s 2 weeks) to accelerate testing cycles. The epoch length has been adjusted from 129600
to 388800
.
Mining Mechanics
Miners now receive payments in their chosen ledger. When mining Quai, Qi fees automatically convert and deliver to the miner’s Quai address. After Qi launch, the same mechanism will apply for Qi mining. Block rewards are distributed across all composite workshares, significantly simplifying accounting logic.
We’ve also enhanced the Stratum implementation with improved logging functionality. All logs are now viewable in nodelogs
with persistent storage, similar to go-quai logs.
Developer Notes
While no epoch transitions are expected during testnet, developers should prepare their implementations for mainnet parameters. Closed source miner developers should particularly note the epoch length modification.
Multiple improvements have been implemented based on community feedback and parallel devnet testing, enhancing network stability, block processing, and payment distribution systems.
For technical support or questions, join our Discord community or reach out via a ticket.
Infrastructure links
Tutorials
- Node Setup Written Tutorial | Video Tutorial
- GPU Miner Setup Written Tutorial | Video Tutorial
- Development Introduction Written Tutorial
- Pelagus Tutorial