Do you need testnet funds for your Optimism development endeavors? If so, then follow along as we demonstrate how to get testnet funds using an Optimism Goerli faucet in three steps:
- Set Up an Optimism-Compatible Wallet – Download a wallet browser extension and create an account (we will use MetaMask throughout this article).
- Add the Optimism Goerli Testnet – Go to ”https://goerli-optimism.etherscan.io“, scroll down, and click on the ”Add Optimism Goerli Network” button:
- Get Tokens Using an Optimism Goerli Faucet – Go to the testnet faucets page from Moralis by clicking on the ”Get Testnet Funds” button at the top of this article. From there, scroll down and select the Optimism Goerli faucet alternative:
Next, add your wallet address and click on the ”Request…” button to receive testnet tokens:
It does not have to be more challenging than that to get testnet funds using an Optimism Goerli faucet! With testnet tokens at your disposal, it is time for you to be creative and start populating the Optimism ecosystem with new Web3 applications!
Also, suppose you are looking for other helpful tools to aid your Optimism development endeavors. In that case, check out the various Web3 APIs and other enterprise blockchain solutions Moralis provides. By creating your free Moralis account, you can fully leverage the power of blockchain technology and immediately start building platforms more efficiently!
Overview
Although we’ve already looked at the three-step process of getting testnet funds using an Optimism Goerli faucet, we will examine the steps more closely as we move forward. That said, before we dig into the action steps in the following section below, let’s overview the stages as a reminder:
- Set Up an Optimism-Compatible Web3 Wallet
- Add the Optimism Goerli Testnet
- Get Testnet Funds Using the Optimism Goerli Faucet
By completing the steps above, you will receive testnet tokens in minutes and can start building your own Optimism-based Web3 platforms in no time! If you are eager to get going, click here to jump straight into the main section of the tutorial.
In combination with the central tutorial, the article also explores the Optimism network and faucets in further detail, along with the easiest way to build Web3 projects. Consequently, if you are unfamiliar with this layer-2 (L2) scaling platform, we recommend starting with the ”What is Optimism?” section further down in the article. You should also know that Moralis supports the Optimism network. As a result, you can leverage the powerful Web3 APIs supplied by Moralis to build Optimism projects faster and more efficiently. Furthermore, if you want to learn more about this, you can, for instance, check out our articles on the best Ethereum price API, learn how to get blockchain data, or explore how to build a block explorer as you build on Aptos or the Arbitrum testnet!
Also, did we mention that you can sign up with Moralis entirely for free? Creating your account only takes a few seconds, and you gain immediate access to all of the Web3 APIs from Moralis!
How to Get Optimism Testnet Funds in 3 Steps
In the three subsections to come, we will show you how to get Optimism testnet funds using a crypto faucet. In doing so, we will use MetaMask – one of the most well-used Web3 wallets worldwide. If you want to use another wallet provider, the process remains the same for any Optimism-compatible option.
Also, if you are unfamiliar with the Optimism network, remember that you can read up on this layer-2 scaling platform further down in the ”What is Optimism?” section. This will give you an overview of the network and point you in the right direction to start building Optimism Web3 platforms.
Nevertheless, without further ado, let us go straight into the first step of this Optimism Goerli faucet tutorial and show you how to set up a Web3 wallet!
Step 1: Set Up an Optimism-Compatible Web3 Wallet
In this tutorial’s first step, we will show you how to set up an Optimism-compatible Web3 wallet. We will use MetaMask to demonstrate the process, as this is the most significant wallet provider on the market. However, you are free to use any other Optimism-compatible cryptocurrency wallet. Just note that the first two steps might occasionally differ if you go for another alternative.
Note: If you already have a wallet, feel free to skip straight into the second step, where we show you how to add the Optimism Goerli testnet.
To begin with, go to ”metamask.io” and click on the ”Download” button at the bottom left of the page:
Next, add MetaMask as a browser extension:
After you add the MetaMask extension, you will be redirected to the page below, where you can create an account:
Once you are done setting up your account, you will find yourself at the MetaMask wallet interface:
Step 2: Add the Optimism Goerli Testnet
Now that you are done setting up your MetaMask account, the next step revolves around adding the Optimism Goerli testnet to your wallet. This is relatively simple, and you can start by visiting ”https://goerli-optimism.etherscan.io”. From there, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the ”Add Optimism Goerli Network” button:
When you hit ”Add Optimism Goerli Network”, it will trigger your MetaMask wallet, enabling you to add the network with the click of a button:
After you click on ”Approve”, MetaMask will also ask you to switch networks. As such, go ahead and hit the ”Switch network” button:
Doing so will autonomously both add and switch to the Optimism Goerli testnet:
Now that you have added the network to your MetaMask account, the remaining step is to utilize the best Optimism faucet to get testnet tokens!
Step 3: Get Testnet Funds Using the Optimism Goerli Faucet
For the last step of this Optimism Goerli faucet tutorial, start by copying your MetaMask wallet address:
From there, visit the testnet faucets page from Moralis and hit the ”See faucet list” button:
Scroll down and select ”Try Now” for the Optimism Goerli option:
When you click on ”Try Now”, you will redirect to the page below. From there, you need to input your wallet address and hit the ”Request…” button:
As soon as the transaction finalizes, you should have received 0.001 testnet ETH in your wallet:
Congratulations, getting testnet tokens from an Optimism Goerli faucet does not have to be more difficult than that! It is now up to you to start populating the Optimism ecosystem with innovative and creative Web3 platforms!
What is Optimism?
In short, Optimism is a quick and low-cost Ethereum layer-2 blockchain developed by the Optimism Foundation. According to their website, we can see this network as a fast, scalable, and stable version of Ethereum!
The Optimism layer-2 network was built by Ethereum developers for Ethereum developers. Optimism features an EVM-equivalent architecture that minimally extends existing Ethereum software. Consequently, developers use the network to seamlessly scale their Ethereum apps without trouble. As Optimism’s website says: ”If it works on Ethereum, it works on Optimism at a fraction of the cost”.
To further understand what Optimism is, let us take a closer look at the network’s four design philosophy pillars:
- Pragmatism – Optimism prioritizes developer’s and user’s real-world needs over theoretical perfection. As such, this suggests that the network is developed iteratively and depends on actual user feedback.
- Simplicity – According to Optimism’s documentation, this blockchain should contain the minimum number of moving parts needed for a scalable, secure, and flexible layer-2 solution. With a focus on simplicity, Optimism prefers to use already-tested Ethereum infrastructure and code when possible.
- Sustainability – The team behind Optimism knows that developers require assurances that their platforms will remain competitive in the long run. As such, Optimism is designed with a focus on long-term sustainability while avoiding shortcuts to scalability.
- Optimism – The Optimism Foundation believes that Ethereum is a core network for the future of the Web3 industry. Based on this, Optimism is developed with “optimism” about the future of the Ethereum network in mind!
With a better understanding of what the Optimism blockchain entails, how does the network actually work? If you want the answer to this question, join us in the next section!
How Does Optimism Work?
As you might be all too familiar with, the Ethereum network has – from a conventional perspective – suffered from scalability issues. This has become problematic as adoption increases. However, this is where layer-2 solutions like Optimism comes into play!
The Optimism blockchain handles transactions off the Ethereum chain while still leveraging the advantages of the network’s secure infrastructure. During a transaction, the Optimism network continues to communicate with Ethereum, ensuring that it still offers similar decentralization and security assurances. As such, the first layer handles security, while Optimism handles scaling. But how does this actually work?
Optimism leverages a technique known as ”rollups” to process transactions in batches. This helps reduce network congestion and lowers gas fees. The “rollup” method used by Optimism bundles hundreds of transactions on Ethereum into a single one. Since each bundle contains many transactions, the gas fee can be distributed among several users. Moreover, while the rollups are executed on the Optimism chain, the transaction data is stored on Ethereum for processing.
What is an Optimism Faucet?
With a better understanding of Optimism and how the network works, let us briefly explore the intricacies of faucets. Executing transactions on a blockchain network generally requires a gas fee. To avoid redundant costs during a project’s development stages, developers use testnets to try their apps in secure and safe environments. For example, Optimism uses a testnet called the ”Optimism Goerli testnet”. But running transactions on a testnet still requires gas fees; however, this is where crypto faucets enter the equation. Through a crypto faucet, it is possible to acquire free testnet tokens!
Faucets are usually web-based applications enabling anyone to get a fixed amount of testnet funds. They mostly only require the users to input their Web3 wallet address and click a button to obtain tokens. From there, the tokens can be used to pay for transactions on a testnet, meaning programmers can avoid committing their own funds during the development stages of a project. In conclusion, an Optimism faucet provides this functionality for the Optimism Goerli testnet!
If you want to explore additional faucets, you can, for instance, check out our article on the best Ethereum faucet!
How to Build and Test Dapps on Optimism
Now that you know how to get testnet tokens using a faucet and have an overview of the Optimism network, you might be looking to build projects yourself. If this is the case, you should know you can access a more seamless developer experience by leveraging Web3 infrastructure providers like Moralis!
In mid-November 2022, Moralis added support for the Optimism layer-2 blockchain. As a result, you can now use Moralis’ extensive Web3 API suite when building projects for the Optimism network. So, by signing up with Moralis, you gain immediate access to some of the industry’s leading Web3 APIs, enabling you to build Optimism projects smarter and more efficiently. A few great examples are the Token API, Streams API, Authentication API, and many more.
Thanks to the cross-chain capabilities of Moralis, you can build chain-agnostic projects. Doing so lets you easily port projects from one network to another with just a few straightforward configurations. This means that you do not need to limit yourself to one network!
So, if you want to start building Optimism projects today, remember to sign up with Moralis! You can register for free and start leveraging the full power of the blockchain industry straight away!
Summary – Optimism Goerli Faucet
In this tutorial, we taught you how to get testnet funds using an Optimism Goerli faucet in three easy steps:
- Set Up an Optimism-Compatible Web3 Wallet
- Add the Optimism Goerli Testnet
- Get Testnet Funds Using the Optimism Goerli Faucet
As such, if you have followed along this far, you can now get your own testnet tokens using the Optimism faucet. From here, it is now time for you to get creative and start building your own Optimism projects!
If you found this article interesting, you might want to check out other content here on the Web3 blog. For instance, learn about DeFi blockchain development or read up on data availability in blockchains!
Do not forget to sign up with Moralis immediately to access a more seamless developer experience. You can create an account for free and instantly start leveraging the full power of blockchain technology!
