How to obtain ETH tokens for testing purposes

Getting Started with Kovan Test Network

If you are developing web3 applications (or DApps), you will need Ethereum to pay gas fees or execute code on the Ethereum network.

Fortunately, you don't need to spend all your savings on gas fees, because there are test networks available.

What is Kovan Test Network?

Kovan is a Proof of Authority (PoA) publicly accessible blockchain for Ethereum, created and maintained by a consortium of Ethereum developers to support the Ethereum developer community.

How to Access Kovan Test Network

1. Open MetaMask.
2. Click on the network selector.
3. Change the network to Kovan Test Network.

Note: This network uses FAKE ETH, which is not valid for real transactions.

Getting Kovan ETH (KETH)

Once you are connected to the Kovan network, you can request ETH from different faucets.

Option 1: Kovan Faucet

One of the easiest ways to get Kovan ETH (KETH) is by submitting your address to this faucet:

Kovan Faucet

Option 2: Gitter Chat Room

Alternatively, you can log in to the Gitter Chat Room and drop your public Ethereum address. You will receive some test ETH shortly.

Other Ethereum Test Networks

Kovan is not the only test network available. Here are some other testnets currently used for testing purposes:

• Ropsten: A Proof-of-Work testnet, providing the most like-for-like representation of Ethereum.
• Rinkeby: A Proof-of-Authority testnet for those running the Geth client.
• Goerli: A Proof-of-Authority testnet that works across clients.

Learn More About Web3

If you want to dive deeper into the decentralized ecosystem, check out our other posts:

Understanding DApps