Ethereum developers are gearing up for their upcoming ‘Pectra’ upgrade, and to make sure everything goes off without a hitch, they’ve just launched a new test network called Hoodi on Monday.

The plan is to put Pectra through its paces on Hoodi starting March 26th. If all goes according to plan and testing is successful, we could see this much-anticipated upgrade launch on Ethereum’s mainnet roughly 30 days later, according to the network’s core developers.

The creation of Hoodi comes after Ethereum’s other test networks, Holesky and Sepolia, experienced a few snags while testing Pectra. These earlier tests ran into configuration issues and didn’t finalize correctly, prompting the need for a fresh start.

Think of test networks like Holesky, Sepolia, and now Hoodi as practice grounds that mirror the main Ethereum network. They provide developers with a safe space to test out code changes and major upgrades like Pectra before they go live on the mainnet.

The initial plan was to roll out the Pectra upgrade on Ethereum following the tests on Holesky and Sepolia. But, since those earlier tests didn’t go as smoothly as hoped, developers opted to build Hoodi for an extra round of testing, particularly for the ambitious Pectra upgrade. And it’s worth noting, Hoodi isn’t just for Pectra—it’s designed to be a valuable testbed for future upgrades too.

Hoodi is specifically designed to be a close replica of Ethereum’s mainnet, even boasting the same number of validators. In fact, Ethereum core developer Parithosh Jayanthi highlighted during last week’s Ethereum core developers call that Hoodi is intended to be the ideal testnet for Ethereum staking pools and node operators to thoroughly test their infrastructure.

Holesky and Sepolia, on the other hand, have distinct focuses. Holesky, with its larger validator set than even the mainnet, is specifically designed to help test Ethereum’s scalability. Meanwhile, Sepolia is a more private network, built just for developers to test out applications.

Pectra itself is packed with a series of upgrades designed to make Ethereum more user-friendly and efficient, both for developers and everyday users. A key highlight is the addition of “smart contract” capabilities that could unlock exciting new features for wallets, such as the ability to pay those pesky gas fees using cryptocurrencies other than just ether (ETH)!

Want to learn more? Read more: Ethereum Developers Launch New Testnet for Pectra Upgrade After Earlier Setbacks