Does anyone still need testnet3?

The discussion initiated by Sjors Provoost on the Bitcoin Development Mailing List received a response highlighting the current status and future plans regarding Bitcoinj, a prominent tool in the development community. The respondent, Andreas, provided an update on the implementation of testnet4 within the Bitcoinj framework, noting that the process has started but is not yet complete. He also mentioned that the upcoming version 0.18 of Bitcoinj is unlikely to be released within the next 12 months, possibly taking longer. Despite this, Andreas expressed satisfaction with the performance of testnet3 for testing purposes. He appreciates the challenges posed by block storms, viewing them as beneficial for testing code under strenuous conditions. The plan to support both testnets in the foreseeable future was also confirmed.

Additionally, Andreas shared insights into btc-rpc-explorer, a self-hostable block explorer tool that he uses. He clarified that, although he is not affiliated with its development, btc-rpc-explorer currently does not support testnet4. This information, along with relevant links to both projects (Bitcoinj and btc-rpc-explorer), provides valuable resources for developers interested in these tools.

This exchange underscores the ongoing development efforts within the Bitcoin community to enhance testing frameworks and tools, reflecting a commitment to improving the robustness and functionality of Bitcoin-related technologies.