Idea for creating testnet genesis files

To help launch testnets more quickly, I think we should create new genesis files by taking the Top 25 Validators by total precommits in the previous testnet.

The idea is that the Validators who successfully stayed up and recorded the most precommits are most likely to quickly and smoothly launch new networks.

Voting power would be reset to 100 for every validator, and once 17 of the 25 genesis Validators come online, the testnet can launch and everyone else can join and start testing.

This would allow successful testing of async network launches, while also increasing iteration speed of the testnets. Validators could continue troubleshooting their configuration/setups in parallel with network testing, as opposed to currently stopping network testing.

To ensure anyone who wants to validate can join the testnet, there could also be multiple community run faucets so there isn’t a single point of failure for getting steaks.

Thoughts?

I don’t see testnet launches taking ~12-24 hours as a big issue myself. I like the idea of these launches being as decentralized as possible.

tendermint/alpha

Tiny web app to help you form a genesis file. Contribute to tendermint/alpha development by creating an account on GitHub.

what is value of having testnets be as decentralized as possible?