Explore & Learn
Get familiar with blockchain concepts by querying data, exploring contracts, and experimenting on testnet.
What You'll Learn
This guide helps you understand blockchain fundamentals through hands-on exploration—no risk, no cost on testnet.
Start on Testnet
First, switch to testnet where you can experiment freely:
Switch to testnet
Testnet tokens have no real value, so you can try anything without worrying about costs.
Explore Your Environment
Check Your Chain
See which blockchain you're connected to:
What chain am I connected to?
View Chain Status
Get current blockchain information:
Show me the current block height
What's the status of this chain?
Check Your Wallet
If you have a wallet connected:
What's my wallet address?
What's my balance?
Query Existing Contracts
Find Contracts
Discover what's deployed:
Show me deployed contracts on this chain
What NFT collections exist on this chain?
Inspect a Contract
Learn about a specific contract:
What type of contract is andr1abc...?
What operations can I do with this contract?
Query Contract Data
Read data from contracts without spending tokens:
Who owns token 1 in this NFT collection?
What's the total supply of this token?
Show me the listing price on this marketplace
Understand Contract Types
Learn About ADOs
Ask Virtual Cofounder to explain Andromeda Digital Objects:
What is an ADO?
What types of ADOs are available?
Explore Specific Types
Dive deeper into contract types:
Explain how NFT collections work
What can I do with a marketplace contract?
How does a splitter contract work?
View Schemas
See the structure of contract messages:
Show me the schema for instantiating an NFT collection
What parameters does the marketplace execute message take?
Practice Deployments
Simulate First
Preview any deployment without executing:
Simulate deploying an NFT collection called "Test Collection"
This shows you:
- What parameters will be used
- Estimated gas costs
- Any potential errors
Deploy for Real (on Testnet)
Once you're comfortable, deploy:
Deploy an NFT collection called "My Test Collection"
Try the Full Workflow
Practice a complete flow:
- Deploy an NFT collection
- Mint some NFTs
- Deploy a marketplace
- List an NFT for sale
- Query the listing
Learn Blockchain Concepts
Ask Questions
Virtual Cofounder can explain concepts:
What is gas?
How do transactions work?
What's the difference between mainnet and testnet?
Understand Fees
Learn about transaction costs:
How much does it cost to deploy a contract?
Why do transactions need gas?
Tips for Learning
Take It Step by Step
Don't try to learn everything at once. Pick one concept or contract type and explore it thoroughly.
Read the Responses
Virtual Cofounder often includes helpful context in responses. Take time to read and understand what's happening.
Make Mistakes
Testnet is for experimenting. Try things that might fail—you'll learn from the error messages.
Ask "Why"
When something happens, ask why:
Why did that transaction fail?
Why do I need to approve this in my wallet?
When You're Ready
Once you're comfortable with the basics:
- Switch to mainnet for real transactions
- Start with small amounts
- Always simulate before executing
Explore the other guides to build real projects: