How to Fork Ethereum Mainnet?

In
the
Ethereum
blockchain
setting,
the
forking
of
Ethereum
Mainnet
is
a
common
practice.
It
basically
involves
developing
a
local
copy
of
an
Ethereum
Mainnet.
This
is
done
for
development
as
well
as
testing
purposes.

Hardhat
is
one
of
the
most
popular
tools
among
developers
when
they
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet.

If
you
are
not
familiar
with
the
concept
of

Ethereum
forking,
now
is
the
perfect
time
to
learn
about
it.
As
a

blockchain
developer
you
will
have
to
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet
for
testing
robust

smart
contracts.
Let
us
see
what
steps
are
involved
when
it
comes
to
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet.

Build
your
identity
as
a
certified
blockchain
expert
with
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career
prospects.

Steps
Involved
in
Forking
Ethereum
Mainnet?

Are
you
wondering
–
‘What
is
fork
in
Ethereum?’
The
answer
to
the
question
is
simple.
Ethereum
forking
is
the
practice
that
enables
blockchain
developers
to
have
a
controlled
environment
where
they
can
test
smart
contracts.
Furthermore,
it
also
allows
them
to
test
interactions
along
with
other
complex
operations
that
take
place
within

blockchain.
By
following
the
simple
steps
mentioned
below,
you
can
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet
with
Hardhat.

Step
1
–
Set
up
a
Hardhat
Project 

The
first
step
that
you
must
take
in
order
to
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet
involves

setting
up
a
Hardhat
project.
You
must
follow
a
series
of
sub-steps
to
advance
in
step
1. 

• 
  Sub-step
  1
  –
  Firstly,
  you
  need
  to
  develop
  a
  directory
  where
  you
  will
  be
  able
  to
  instantiate
  the
  particular
  Hardhat
  project. 
• 
  Sub-step
  2
  –
  Then
  you
  need
  to
  install
  the
  Hardhat
  tool.
  This
  can
  be
  done
  with
  the
  help
  of
  ‘npm’
  in
  the
  terminal. 
• 
  Sub-step
  3
  –
  Next
  you
  need
  to
  run
  the
  tool.
  You
  must
  bear
  in
  mind
  that
  you
  must
  run
  Hardhat
  in
  the
  same
  directory
  where
  it
  has
  been
  installed. 
• 
  Sub-step
  4
  –
  In
  order
  to
  complete
  step
  1
  you
  now
  need
  to
  choose
  from
  the
  options
  that
  are
  given
  in
  the
  terminal.
  You
  have
  the
  option
  to
  either
  a
  JavaScript
  project
  or
  a
  Typescript
  project. 

Step
2
–
Creating
Remote
Procedure
Call
(RCP)
Endpoint

In
order
to
fork
Mainnet
Hardhat,
you
need
to
shift
your
attention
towards
creating
RCP
endpoint.
You
need
to
note
that
to
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet
you
should
be
able
to
connect
to
an
archive
node.
You
have
the
option
to
choose
either
Quicknode,

Alchemy
or

Infura
for
this
purpose.
This
step
is
crucial
for
creating
an
Ethereum
endpoint.
You
can
choose
out
of
the
given
options
depending
on
your
familiarity
with
them.
The
purpose
of
this
step
is
to
get
an
API
key
from
the
chosen
RPC
providers.

Step
2
–
Forking
the
network

Once
you
are
done
with
step
2,
it
is
time
to
fork
the
network.
For
doing
this
you
can
follow
the
below
sub-steps. 

• 
  Sub-step
  1
  –
  You
  need
  to
  install
  dotenv.
  It
  is
  a
  fundamental
  process
  without
  which
  you
  cannot
  progress
  any
  further. 
• 
  Sub-step
  2
  –
  Next,
  you
  need
  to
  create
  a
  .env
  file.
  This
  file
  has
  to
  be
  created
  in
  the
  root
  of
  the
  Hardhat
  project.
• 
  Sub-step
  3
  –
  Once
  you
  are
  done
  with
  the
  above
  procedures,
  it
  is
  time
  to
  make
  modifications
  in
  the
  hardhat.configure.js
  file.
  The
  modification
  is
  essential
  to
  ensure
  that
  a
  new
  network
  can
  be
  added. 
• 
  Sub-step
  4
  –
  Ultimately,
  you
  need
  to
  enter
  the
  appropriate
  command
  in
  the
  terminal
  for
  starting
  Hardhat
  node. 

By
following
these
steps,
you
can
successfully
and
efficiently
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet
by
using
Hardhat
in
the
local
development
network.
After
Ethereum
forking
is
completed,
you
will
be
able
to
explore
extra
functionalities
using
Hardhat.
Some
of
the
extra
functionalities
are

deployment
of
smart
contracts
and
impersonation
of
mainnet
accounts.
As
a
blockchain
professional
you
need
to
familiarize
yourself
with
the
steps
and
sub-steps
that
are
involved
in
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet.

Enroll
now
in
the

Ethereum
Development
Fundamentals
Course
to
learn
the
basic,
advanced
concepts,
and
how
to
get
started
developing
with
Ethereum.

Role
of
Hardhat
in
Forking
Ethereum
Mainnet

The
use
of
Hardhat
can
certainly
simplify
the
process
of
Ethereum
forking
for
blockchain
developers.
You
must
use
Hardhat
since
it
can
act
as
the
one-stop
solution
that
will
help
you
perfectly
simulate
an
Ethereum
environment
in
the
local
context.
By
using
Hardhat,
it
is
possible
to
stimulate
diverse
operations
that
take
place
within

blockchain
networks,
including
complex
ones.
That’s
not
all!
The
utilization
of
Hardhat
is
key
for
blockchain
professionals
since
it
can
also
aid
in
developing
smart
contracts.

Hence
Hardhat
can
serve
as
the
ideal
tool
for
compiling,
testing,
debugging,
as
well
as
deploying
smart
contracts.
By
leveraging
Hardhat,
your
journey
in
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet
can
certainly
get
simpler
and
easier.
Some
of
the
main
advantages
of
choosing
Hardhat
tools
for
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet
are:

• 
  The
  Hardhat
  network
  will
  help
  you
  to
  easily
  impersonate
  any
  address.
  As
  a
  result,
  you
  will
  be
  able
  to
  send
  transactions
  even
  if
  you
  do
  not
  have
  the
  requisite
  private
  key.
• 
   You
  have
  the
  option
  to
  customize
  the
  behavior
  of
  Hardhat
  network.
  This
  can
  ensure
  that
  your
  specific
  needs
  and
  requirements
  are
  met
  while
  testing
  smart
  contracts. 
• 
  You
  can
  easily
  replicate
  the
  state
  of
  the
  Mainnet
  without
  having
  an
  adverse
  impact
  on
  the
  actual
  network.  

The
use
of
Hardhat
can
give
rise
to
a
host
of
possibilities
for
blockchain
professionals
while
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet.
In
the
dynamic
blockchain
realm,
you
can
capitalize
on
the
core
capabilities
and
attributes
of
Hardhat
to
strengthen
smart
contracts. 

Enroll
now
in
the Ethers.js
Blockchain
Developer
Course to
develop
an
in-depth
understanding
of
smart
contracts
and
their
uses
for
creating
secure
and
efficient
Ethereum
transactions.

Need
to
Fork
Ethereum
Mainnet

Now
that
you
are
aware
of
the
steps
to
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet,
you
may
be
wondering
why
you
need
to
do
it.
It
is
a
valid
question
that
needs
to
be
answered.
Some
of
the
main
reasons
for
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet
include:

• 
  Creation
  of
  a
  controlled
  testing
  environment 

In
the
blockchain
realm,
testing
is
one
of
the
most
critical
processes.
In
fact,
without
conducting
the
necessary
testing
it
is
not
possible
to
deploy
smart
contracts.
Developers
can
fork
Mainnet
Hardhat
in
order
to
have
in
place
a
blockchain
environment
that
perfectly
emulates
the
actual
environment.
That’s
not
all!
In
the
simulated
environment
they
can
have
complete
control
that
can
aid
in
testing. 
Hence
it
serves
as
a
highly
cost-efficient
testing
process
which
does
not
involve
any
transaction
costs.

• 
  Better
  level
  of
  Security 

Performing
in-depth
testing
of
smart
contracts
is
essential
to
improve
the
security
aspects.
By
testing
new
smart
contracts
against
existing
contracts
and
protocols
you
can
identify
vulnerabilities.
Therefore,
you
can
check
for
security
loopholes
without
risking
actual
funds.

• 
  Improved
  Development
  workflow 

The
importance
of
testing
in
the
blockchain
arena
cannot
be
overemphasized.
By
testing
as
well
as
debugging
smart
contracts
by
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet
you
can
strengthen
the
development
workflow.
It
can
add
value
by
automating
the
testing
process
and
iterating
efficiently
on
code
without
having
to
face
live
network
challenges. 

• 
  Ability
  to
  manipulate
  signers 

By
forking

Mainnet
with
Hardhat
blockchain
professionals
can
manipulate
signers.
Hence,
they
do
not
have
to
rely
on
private
keys
for
facilitating
through
smart
contract
testing.
For
instance,
they
can
impersonate
addresses
for
the
purpose
of
accessing
control
behavior.
However,
this
can
be
done
under
specific
permission
scenarios. 

While
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet,
you
can
make
use
of
Hardhat
as
the
ideal
development
environment.
Since
it
has
a
diverse
range
of
components,
you
will
be
able
to
engage
in
a
broad
range
of
activities
such
as
editing,
compiling
and
many
more.
Even
if
you
have
limited
experience
when
it
comes
to
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet,
with
the
Hardhat
tool,
your
experience
can
undoubtedly
get
simpler.
The
key
components
of
Hardhat
like
Hardhat
Runner,
Hardhat
network,
Hardhat
Ignition,
etc.
can
ensure
that
a
controlled
environment
is
in
place
where
you
can
conduct
testing
and
other
tasks
without
any
impediments. 

Learn
about
the
basic
concepts
of
Ethereum,
such
as
transactions,
addresses,
consensus,
blocks,
and
important
tools
with
the Ethereum
Technology
Course.

Importance
of
Hardhat
Development
Environment

By
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet
with
Hardhat
you
will
be
able
to
develop
the
Hardhat
development
environment.
The
role
of
the
environment
is
indispensable
to
facilitate
a
diverse
range
of
important
tasks.
You
can
leverage
the
environment
for
carrying
out
frequent
activities
and
tasks
such
as
checking
codes
to
locate
errors
and
running
tests.
Moreover,
you
will
also
be
able
to
carry
out
proper
interactions
with
smart
contracts.
The
environment
can
play
a
catalytic
role
and
help
you
meticulously
check
your
smart
contracts
before
deploying
them
in
the
real-life
setting. 

The
Hardhat
Development
Environment
can
serve
as
the
perfect
platform
where
a
blockchain
developer
can
interact
with
previously
deployed
contracts.
Such
interactions
are
crucial
to
locate
and
understand
risks
and
vulnerabilities
that
may
exist.
By
identifying
such
elements,
it
is
possible
for
developers
to
take
corrective
measures
before
the
deployment
of
contracts
in
the
real
world.
It
is
a
critical
step
that
can
influence
how
smart
contracts
function
within
blockchain
networks.

Familiarize
yourself
with
the
popular
blockchain
network,
Ethereum,
and
ensure
overall,
comprehensive
skill
development
with Ethereum
Skill
Path

Final
Thoughts 

The
forking
of
Ethereum
Mainnet
is
an
integral
process
in
the

blockchain
environment.
By
following
the
guide,
you
can
systematically
fork
Ethereum
Mainnet
and
test
smart
contracts.
You
will
be
able
to
save
substantial
costs
since
you
do
not
have
to
bear
the
costs
relating
to
live
Mainnet
deployment.
Ethereum
forking
can
act
as
the
perfect
way
for
understanding
how
smart
contracts
work
on
Mainnet.
You
can
further
learn
how
to
use
diverse
tools
such
as
Hardhat
for
forking
Ethereum
Mainnet.