Ethereum engineers launch Hoodi test network to complete Pectra testing

The Ethereum Foundation announced the relaunch of the Holesky test network after it was disrupted by the Pectra update in February.

Problems began after the Pectra update was deployed to Holesky for testing. This led to a network failure, rendering the validator set unusable for several weeks. Despite attempts to resolve the issue in March, congestion persisted.

Similar challenges affected Ethereum’s second-largest testnet, Sepolia, though developers successfully addressed those issues. Test networks like Holesky and Sepolia are used to simulate and debug updates before they are deployed on the main Ethereum network.

Rather than continuing with Holesky, developers will now use Hoodi for testing. They plan to conduct the final Pectra tests on Hoodi on March 26th. If successful, the update could be deployed to the Ethereum mainnet by April 25th, according to crypto.news.