Merge pull request #3340 from ava-labs/fuji-blog

Blog post explaining that Fuji is a test network

Author: owenwahlgren

content/academy/avalanche-fundamentals/index.mdx

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ By the end of these courses, you'll have the knowledge and skills to leverage th
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-This course is for people with some blockchain knowledge. Check out this [guide](/guides/what-is-a-blockchain) to review what a blockchain is.
+This course is for people with some blockchain knowledge. Check out this [guide](/guides/what-is-a-blockchain) to review what a blockchain is and this [blog](/blog/what-is-fuji-tesnet) to understand why and how testnets work.
 
 Familiarity with the basic design of modern distributed software systems and common blockchain systems such as Bitcoin and Ethereum is also recommended. You do not need to know how to write code to successfully complete this course.
 

content/academy/blockchain-fundamentals/08-vms-and-blockchains/05-testnets.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+---
+title: Why Test Networks Like Fuji Exist — and Who They're For
+description: Test networks, or testnets, play a critical role in the lifecycle of blockchain development. Fuji, Avalanche's public test network, exists to give developers a safe, low-stakes environment to build, experiment, and validate before deploying to Mainnet.
+date: 2025-01-09
+authors: [meagfitzgerald]
+topics: [Testnets, Fuji Testnet, Avalanche Testnet, Testnet Tokens, Testnet Faucet]
+comments: true
+---
+
+Test networks, or *testnets*, play a critical role in the lifecycle of blockchain development. Fuji, Avalanche's public test network, exists to give developers a safe, low-stakes environment to build, experiment, and validate before deploying to Mainnet.
+
+## Why Testnets Matter
+
+Testnets mirror the functionality of the main network but use valueless tokens and non-production infrastructure. This setup lets developers test smart contracts, infrastructure updates, or protocol-level features without risking real assets or network stability.
+
+They're where bugs are caught, upgrades are trialed, and new ideas are validated — all without consequences to real-world users.
+
+## Who Should Use Fuji
+
+Fuji is ideal for:
+
+* Developers building or testing dApps, tooling, or validators before Mainnet deployment.
+* Integrators validating compatibility with Avalanche APIs, SDKs, or network changes.
+* Researchers and educators experimenting with network parameters or teaching blockchain fundamentals.
+
+## Who Shouldn't Use Fuji
+
+Fuji should not be used for:
+
+* Any production-grade systems or client-facing environments.
+* Workloads that require high uptime or data persistence.
+* Situations where service reliability is critical — because testnets, by design, may be reset, upgraded, or experience downtime without notice.
+
+## The Takeaway
+
+Fuji is where innovation happens first — but not where reliability is guaranteed. It's a proving ground for what's next on Avalanche. Once your application, validator, or integration is stable and tested, Mainnet is the place to go live.
+
+## Resources
+
+- [Get Fuji Testnet tokens](https://build.avax.network/console/primary-network/faucet)
+- [View the Fuji Testnet explorer](https://subnets-test.avax.network/)

content/blog/what-is-fuji-testnet.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+---
+title: Why Test Networks Like Fuji Exist — and Who They're For
+description: Test networks, or testnets, play a critical role in the lifecycle of blockchain development. Fuji, Avalanche's public test network, exists to give developers a safe, low-stakes environment to build, experiment, and validate before deploying to Mainnet.
+date: 2025-01-09
+authors: [meagfitzgerald]
+topics: [Testnets, Fuji Testnet, Avalanche Testnet, Testnet Tokens, Testnet Faucet]
+comments: true
+---
+
+Test networks, or *testnets*, play a critical role in the lifecycle of blockchain development. Fuji, Avalanche's public test network, exists to give developers a safe, low-stakes environment to build, experiment, and validate before deploying to Mainnet.
+
+## Why Testnets Matter
+
+Testnets mirror the functionality of the main network but use valueless tokens and non-production infrastructure. This setup lets developers test smart contracts, infrastructure updates, or protocol-level features without risking real assets or network stability.
+
+They're where bugs are caught, upgrades are trialed, and new ideas are validated — all without consequences to real-world users.
+
+## Who Should Use Fuji
+
+Fuji is ideal for:
+
+* Developers building or testing dApps, tooling, or validators before Mainnet deployment.
+* Integrators validating compatibility with Avalanche APIs, SDKs, or network changes.
+* Researchers and educators experimenting with network parameters or teaching blockchain fundamentals.
+
+## Who Shouldn't Use Fuji
+
+Fuji should not be used for:
+
+* Any production-grade systems or client-facing environments.
+* Workloads that require high uptime or data persistence.
+* Situations where service reliability is critical — because testnets, by design, may be reset, upgraded, or experience downtime without notice.
+
+## The Takeaway
+
+Fuji is where innovation happens first — but not where reliability is guaranteed. It's a proving ground for what's next on Avalanche. Once your application, validator, or integration is stable and tested, Mainnet is the place to go live.
+
+## Resources
+
+- [Get Fuji Testnet tokens](https://build.avax.network/console/primary-network/faucet)
+- [View the Fuji Testnet explorer](https://subnets-test.avax.network/)

scripts/versions.json

@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
   "mainnet": {
     "avaplatform/avalanchego": "v1.14.0",
     "avaplatform/subnet-evm_avalanchego": "v0.8.0_v1.14.0",
-    "avaplatform/icm-relayer": "v1.7.3"
+    "avaplatform/icm-relayer": "v1.7.4"
   },
   "testnet": {
     "avaplatform/avalanchego": "v1.14.0",
     "avaplatform/subnet-evm_avalanchego": "v0.8.0_v1.14.0",
-    "avaplatform/icm-relayer": "v1.7.3"
+    "avaplatform/icm-relayer": "v1.7.4"
   },
   "ava-labs/icm-contracts": "4d5ab0b6dbc653770cfe9709878c9406eb28b71c"
 }