Cardano Opens Dijkstra Testnet Ahead of Node 11.2 Upgrade

Cardano has opened its public Dijkstra testnet to stake pool operators, paving the way for the upcoming node 11.2 release that will support a hard‑fork to protocol version 12, known as Dijkstra, without the Leios feature set. The testnet, now running node 11.1.3, will transition to node 11.2 once the pre‑release is tagged later this week, according to Intersect’s Oct. 22 Upgrade Bulletin #39.

Parallel Testing Paths

Intersect outlined two parallel tracks: DijkstraNet will test the full Dijkstra hard‑fork features except Leios, while a separate MusashiNet prototype provides downstream teams early access to a Leios‑inclusive build ahead of the formal node 11.3 release. Operators joining DijkstraNet now can use configuration files and a testnet faucet via the Cardano book, with one‑day epochs and a Kleioscan explorer available for monitoring.

Upgrade Scope and Requirements

The upcoming hard‑fork will move the network from protocol version 11 (Conway era) to version 12. Input Output estimates that Leios activation will require BLS voting keys covering roughly 90‑95 % of stake. Constitutional changes, BLS key management options, and ecosystem risk reviews are also part of the preparation.

Timeline and Resources

Node 11.2 is expected to be tagged within the week, with memory requirements of about 12 GB when using LSM. A Hard Fork Working Group has begun risk‑log assessments, and a constitutional update meeting is scheduled for Oct. 23. A Node Diversity Workshop is set for Nov. 12‑13 in London.

Key facts

• DijkstraNet runs node 11.1.3, protocol version 11.
• Node 11.2 will enable a hard‑fork to protocol version 12 (Dijkstra) without Leios.
• Leios activation later will need BLS voting keys covering ~90‑95 % of stake.
• Memory requirement for LSM on node 11.2 is ~12 GB.
• Governance meetings and risk‑log reviews are ongoing.