Launch of Celo’s New Layer 2 Testnet “Dango”

The Celo Foundation has introduced “Dango”, a new Layer 2 testnet designed to integrate seamlessly with Ethereum.

This innovative testnet, emerging from a fork of the Alfajores testnet proposed at EthCC 2023, offers developers the ability to deploy projects on a blockchain that ensures fast and cost-effective settlements.

Celo Foundation Announces New Testnet “Dango”

On July 7, 2024, the Celo Foundation officially launched its new Layer 2 testnet, “Dango”. This marks a significant milestone in cLabs’ efforts to integrate the EVM-compatible standalone blockchain with Ethereum.

“Dango” was born from a fork of the Alfajores testnet, which was proposed at EthCC 2023. With this new testnet, developers will be able to prepare for project deployment on a blockchain that offers fast and low-cost settlement solutions.

With this launch, all historical data, including Alfajores’ smart contracts, accounts, and balances, will be preserved and carried over. The testnet is built not only on Optimism’s OP Stack but also utilizes EigenDA as an alternative data availability layer.

This fork advances Celo’s ecosystem integration with Ethereum, providing developers with a more flexible and powerful platform.

For instance, transaction fees on Dango are kept low, and bridging is made easier. Additionally, block generation time is reduced from the usual 5 seconds to 2 seconds, allowing for faster transactions.

Implementation and Future Prospects of “Dango”

The introduction of Dango maximizes the benefits of Celo’s L1, which is used in over 150 countries. Following this success, infrastructure providers have started upgrading Layer 2 node codes. The launch of the Celo Layer 2 mainnet is scheduled for winter 2024.

The newly launched “Dango” is a crucial step towards the convergence of the Celo ecosystem and Ethereum.

This will enable low-cost, fast transactions and is expected to further promote the adoption of blockchain technology.