Blockchain networks: understanding the basics

• The mainnet is the primary public production blockchain, where actual-value transactions occur. Each transaction requires a transaction fee, payable in native tokens.
• The testnet is a close replica of the mainnet blockchain, and is used for testing and experimentation. Tokens are used in the testnet but have no value, so there is no risk of real funds.

You can consider the testnet a prototype and the mainnet the official production blockchain, or, staging servers versus production servers.

A blockchain network in Overledger

Many API requests require the "location" object to represent a specific blockchain network.

The example below is made up of two fields: technology and network.

"location": {
	"technology": "Ethereum",
	"network": "Ethereum Sepolia Testnet"
}

The options available through Overledger are detailed below.

Public blockchain networks

The Sandbox Overledger environment allows you to connect to test blockchain networks (which hold no real-world value tokens). In contrast, the Production Overledger instance allows you to connect to the main blockchain networks (which hold tokens with a real value).

1. EVM compatible

2. Other networks

Private blockchain networks