Polygon Spinoff Avail Network Starts Phase 2 of Its Testnet

The upcoming Avail network will release the second phase of its “Kate” testnet, months after spinning-out from layer-2 scaling protocol Polygon, developers shared with CoinDesk.

The first testnet phase allowed Avail to experiment with basic operations, execute on-chain functions and run protocol governance. This second phase will include a more thorough testing environment to encourage validator participation. Validators are entities that utilize their personal computing resources to help validate network transactions and maintain security, typically in return of token rewards.

On the testnet, users can participate and contribute to the Avail network in multiple ways. They can acquire AVL testnet tokens to test staking and nomination functions, create modular blockchain applications or chains that publishes data to Avail, and join the testnet as validators or light clients, allowing them to verify data availability.

Avail also intends to address “data availability” problems faced by scaling applications, its developers say. This is a complex problem faced by blockchain developers; How are nodes sure about when a new block is produced? Since all of the data on the block is actually published to the network, there is no way to detect hidden malicious transactions before publishing the data.

Avail uses advanced mathematical techniques to assess blockchain data provided by node operators to determine the authenticity of data, without needing to rely on all node operators to verify the data, its developers claim.

As such, Avail plans to onboard hundreds of new validators to join, participate and engage with its community. As testnet progresses, the project aims to significantly increase its operational capacity to handle larger numbers of validators.

The “Kate” testnet is expected to run through the third quarter of this year.