Mainnet
The live blockchain where transactions carry real economic value and tokens trade for actual money.
A mainnet is the production version of a blockchain network. When Ethereum launched its mainnet in 2015, every transaction began settling with money on the line. Developers test on copies first, then deploy to mainnet once the code holds up.
Mainnet launch is a milestone for any project. It marks the shift from promise to working product. Coins minted on a testnet are worthless; coins on mainnet are the real asset.
Related terms
A sandbox copy of a blockchain where developers trial code using tokens that hold no value.
Genesis BlockThe first block of a blockchain, hardcoded at the start with no block before it to reference.
NodeA computer running a blockchain's software, keeping a copy of the ledger and relaying transactions to peers.