Testing and development

Regtest Network

For most testing and development, we recommend using the Regtest Network - a deployed test network maintained by Lightspark that is free to use and carries no real-world value.

What you can test on Regtest

Spark Payments: Bitcoin and token payments using the Spark protocol
Deposits: Receiving test Bitcoin from the Lightspark Regtest Faucet
Withdrawals: Sending funds back to on-chain addresses
Token Issuance: Creating and testing tokens using the SDK's issuing functionality

Getting started

Initialize the SDK using the default regtest config (no API key required)
Generate a Bitcoin receiving address
Request funds from the faucet to your generated address
Test all Spark-related functionality in a controlled development environment

Lightning Network testing

For Lightning payments specifically, we recommend testing on Mainnet with small amounts since the Regtest Network doesn't have a developed Lightning Network.

Use real satoshis but keep transaction values very low while verifying payment flows work correctly.

Development best practices

Start with Regtest for most development and testing
Use Mainnet for Lightning testing
Test all payment types you plan to support in your application