ASI:Chain Docs

Appearance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ​

Common questions and answers about ASI:Chain DevNet.

General Questions ​

What is ASI:Chain? ​

ASI:Chain is a blockchain network built for the ASI Alliance ecosystem, powered by F1R3FLY technology. It provides a decentralized platform for executing smart contracts written in Rholang.

What is DevNet? ​

DevNet is the development network (test network) where you can experiment with the blockchain without using real value tokens. It's designed for testing, learning, and development.

Are DevNet tokens valuable? ​

No. DevNet ASI tokens have zero real value. They are exclusively for testing purposes and cannot be exchanged for real currency or assets.

Can I lose money on DevNet? ​

No, because DevNet tokens have no real value. Feel free to experiment without financial risk.

Getting Started ​

How do I get DevNet tokens? ​

Visit the Faucet, enter your ASI address, and request tokens. See How to Get DevNet ASI for details.

Do I need to create an account? ​

Yes, you'll need to create an account in the ASI Wallet to receive tokens and interact with the network.

Is there a limit on faucet requests? ​

Yes, there's a cooldown period between requests to prevent abuse. If you see "Address is not eligible," wait before requesting again.

Can I run a validator? ​

Yes! Anyone can run a validator on DevNet. Follow the Join DevNet as Validator guide to get started.

Wallet Questions ​

Where are my private keys stored? ​

Your private keys are stored locally in your browser using AES-256-GCM encryption. They never leave your device and are never sent to any server.

What if I forget my password? ​

Unfortunately, there is no way to recover a lost password or private keys. Always keep secure backups of your keys.

Can I use the same wallet on different devices? ​

Your wallet data is stored locally per browser. To use the same account on multiple devices:

  1. Export your private key from one device
  2. Import it on another device
  3. Or use the backup/restore feature

Why do I need an Ethereum address? ​

The ASI address is derived from an Ethereum-compatible key pair for broader compatibility. However, you primarily use the ASI address (starting with "1111") on ASI:Chain.

Can I connect the wallet to my own node? ​

Yes! Go to Settings and configure a custom network pointing to your local or private node. See Custom Network Connection.

Transaction Questions ​

Why did my transaction fail? ​

Common reasons:

  • Insufficient balance for transaction + fees
  • Invalid recipient address format
  • Network congestion
  • Node synchronization issues

How long do transactions take? ​

Average block time is ~20 seconds. Your transaction should be finalized within 1-3 blocks (20-60 seconds) under normal conditions.

Can I cancel a transaction? ​

Once a transaction is broadcast to the network, it cannot be cancelled. Double-check all details before confirming.

What are phlo limit and phlo price? ​

  • Phlo Limit: Maximum computational resources your transaction can use (similar to gas limit)
  • Phlo Price: Price per unit of computation (similar to gas price)

For DevNet, standard values are:

  • Phlo Limit: 10000000
  • Phlo Price: 1

Smart Contract Questions ​

What language do I use for smart contracts? ​

Smart contracts on ASI:Chain are written in Rholang, a concurrent, functional programming language designed for blockchain.

Where can I learn Rholang? ​

Resources:

  • Built-in IDE in ASI Wallet with examples
  • GitHub repository with example contracts
  • RChain documentation (ASI:Chain is based on RChain technology)

Can I deploy any contract to DevNet? ​

Yes, you can deploy any valid Rholang contract to DevNet. Experiment freely - it's a test environment!

How much do deployments cost? ​

On DevNet, deployments use test tokens. There's a computational cost (phlo), but since tokens have no value, it's essentially free for testing.

Validator Questions ​

What are the system requirements? ​

Minimum:

  • CPU: 4 cores
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 250+ GB
  • Network: Stable connection

Recommended:

  • CPU: 8 cores
  • RAM: 32 GB
  • Storage: 250+ GB
  • Network: Dedicated server

Do I need to stake tokens? ​

On DevNet, staking is not required. You just need to configure your validator with valid keys.

How do I know if my validator is working? ​

Check:

  • Docker logs: docker logs validator -f
  • Peer connections (should show 4+)
  • Block Explorer for your validator
  • Successful block proposals

Can I stop my validator? ​

Yes, you can stop your validator anytime:

bash
docker compose -f validator.yml down

There's no penalty for downtime on DevNet.

My validator isn't proposing blocks, why? ​

Possible reasons:

  • Not fully synchronized yet
  • Network connectivity issues
  • Insufficient peer connections
  • Configuration problems

Check logs and see Troubleshooting Guide.

Network Questions ​

How many validators are there? ​

Currently there are 3 active validators plus the network accepts external validators joining.

What's the current network status? ​

Check:

  • Block Explorer - Real-time network stats
  • Network status indicator in wallet
  • Bootstrap node connectivity

Can the network go down? ​

Like any system, brief outages are possible. DevNet status:

Where is the network hosted? ​

DevNet runs on AWS EC2. The two endpoints relevant to users:

  • Bootstrap (P2P entry point): 54.152.57.201
  • Validator 1 (public API for deploys + reads): 34.196.119.4

There are 3 active validators in total; the other two participate in consensus but are not exposed as public endpoints. The dedicated observer is currently unstable, so Validator 1 also serves read traffic.

Technical Questions ​

What consensus algorithm is used? ​

ASI:Chain uses CBC Casper consensus, a proof-of-stake variant designed for safety and liveness.

What's the block time? ​

Average block time is approximately 20 seconds.

Is there a maximum supply? ​

On DevNet, token supply is unlimited via the faucet since tokens have no value. Mainnet economics (when launched) will be different.

Can I query the blockchain directly? ​

Yes! Use Validator 1 at http://34.196.119.4:40403 for direct API access. The dedicated observer is currently unstable, so Validator 1 serves this role.

What ports need to be open? ​

All DevNet nodes use the same port range:

  • 40400 — Protocol (P2P)
  • 40401 — Public gRPC API
  • 40402 — Internal gRPC API
  • 40403 — HTTP API
  • 40404 — Kademlia Discovery
  • 40405 — Admin HTTP API

For external validators connecting to DevNet, only 40400 (protocol) and 40404 (discovery) need to be open inbound for peer-to-peer communication.

Troubleshooting ​

Wallet won't load ​

Try:

  1. Clear browser cache
  2. Disable browser extensions
  3. Try incognito/private mode
  4. Use a different browser
  5. Check JavaScript is enabled

Can't connect to network ​

Solutions:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Verify firewall isn't blocking requests
  3. Try different network (DevNet/Local)
  4. Check if node is running (for local)

Balance shows zero after getting tokens ​

Wait a few moments and:

  1. Click "Refresh Balance" in wallet
  2. Check transaction status on faucet page
  3. Verify on Block Explorer
  4. Clear cache and reload

Node won't synchronize ​

Try:

  1. Check logs: docker logs validator -f
  2. Verify bootstrap connectivity
  3. Reset and resync:
    bash
    docker compose down
rm -rf data/
docker compose up -d

Development Questions ​

Can I build applications on DevNet? ​

Yes! DevNet is specifically for development and testing. Build and test freely.

Are there API endpoints? ​

Yes:

  • Validator 1 HTTP (write + read): http://34.196.119.4:40403
  • Validator 1 gRPC (write + read): 34.196.119.4:40401
  • Indexer GraphQL: https://indexer.dev.asichain.io/v1/graphql
  • Faucet API: https://ffyp8igwwc.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
  • Bootstrap P2P (for joining the network as a node, not for app traffic): 54.152.57.201:40400

Is there an SDK? ​

Use the Rust Client for command-line interaction. For web apps, use HTTP/gRPC APIs directly.

Can I run my own explorer? ​

Yes, you can deploy your own explorer instance connected to your observer node. Source code will be available in the repository.

Security Questions ​

Is my data safe? ​

Your private keys are encrypted and stored locally. Your transaction data is public on the blockchain (as with all blockchains).

Should I use DevNet keys on mainnet? ​

No! Always generate new keys for mainnet. DevNet keys may be compromised since they're used in testing.

What if someone gets my private key? ​

They have full access to your account. Always:

  • Keep keys secure
  • Never share them
  • Use strong passwords
  • Backup securely offline

Is HTTPS required? ​

For production and mainnet: Yes, absolutely. For local development on DevNet: HTTP is acceptable.

Still Have Questions? ​

If your question isn't answered here:

  1. Check Documentation: Browse other sections in this site
  2. GitHub Issues: Search or ask on GitHub
  3. Useful Links: See Useful Links for resources
  4. Community: Connect with other developers

This FAQ is regularly updated. Bookmark this page for future reference.

ASI:Chain DevNet - Development Network

Test tokens have no real value. For testing purposes only.