Cardano Launches Shelley Testnet and Reveals its Upcoming Rewards and Networking Features

Last week, Cardano launched the Shelley Testnet. The latest update on the Cardano blockchain has several stages. The first stage hosts a ‘self node,' and there is a big chance that the third stage will feature an incentive system. According to David Esser, the Senior Product Manager for Cardano, the first stage is like a ‘blockchain in a box.' The self node is a complete blockchain network that can seamlessly run in a personal computer and allows users to tests its fundamental functionalities.

In the most recent edition of ‘The Cardano Effect,’ Esser said that there is much more to come concerning Shelley since it is still new. He added that users have to test the platform's core capabilities before its full features are made available in subsequent updates.

Additionally, Esser disclosed that the testnet doesn’t support networking between different servers and setting up an incentives model. These features are also being lined up to launch in future upgrades. Cardano will focus on adding networking functionalities to its testnet in the second phase of this project. Esser believes that this addition will allow users to run nodes on separate servers while enabling them to communicate with other servers on the blockchain network.

As mentioned earlier, the third stage of the testnet development will feature an incentive model. This will involve both delegation and staking, as well as the testing of an incentive reward program to evaluate how the testnet supports human interactions. In this regard, Esser mentioned that humans are unpredictable. This unique characteristic influenced the design of the incentive model, as it has inbuilt parameters that adjust according to the behaviors of different humans. He concluded by saying they are excited to see how the model will work in real-life situations.