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Network Configuration Guide

Date: November 25, 2025 Status: ✅ Fully Implemented

🎯 Overview

The Mentat Protocol web application now clearly indicates when it's running on a testnet (devnet, testnet, or localnet) vs mainnet. This ensures users always know which network they're interacting with and prevents confusion about whether real funds are being used.

🔧 Configuration

Environment Variables

Network configuration is controlled via .env file in apps/web/:

# Solana Network Configuration
# Options: mainnet-beta | testnet | devnet | localnet
VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK=devnet

# Optional: Custom RPC URL (overrides default)
# VITE_SOLANA_RPC_URL=https://api.devnet.solana.com

Available Networks

Network Type Color Default RPC
mainnet-beta Production Green (#14F195) https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com
testnet Test Red (#FF6B6B) https://api.testnet.solana.com
devnet Test Orange (#FFA500) https://api.devnet.solana.com
localnet Test Purple (#9B59B6) http://localhost:8899

🎨 UI Indicators

1. Network Indicator Badge (Header)

Location: Top right of header, next to wallet button Appearance: - Only visible on testnets (devnet, testnet, localnet) - Color-coded badge with network name - Pulsing animation for attention - Warning emoji (⚠️) for emphasis

Component: src/components/NetworkIndicator.vue

<!-- Example on devnet -->
<div class="network-indicator" style="--network-color: #FFA500">
  ⚠️ DEVNET
</div>

2. Testnet Banner (Top of Page)

Location: Above header, spans full width Appearance: - Sticky banner at top of page - Color matches network type - Shows network name and helpful message - Only visible on testnets

Component: src/components/TestnetBanner.vue

<!-- Example message -->
🧪 Devnet Environment: This is a test network. No real funds are used.
You can get free test SOL from a faucet.

3. Wallet Modal Badge

Location: Inside "Connect Wallet" modal, next to title Appearance: - Small badge showing network name - Color-coded to match network - Only visible on testnets

Component: Updated in src/components/wallet/WalletModal.vue

📁 File Structure

New Files Created

apps/web/src/
├── config/
│   └── network.ts                    # Network configuration & helpers
├── components/
│   ├── NetworkIndicator.vue          # Header network badge
│   └── TestnetBanner.vue             # Top banner for testnets

Modified Files

apps/web/
├── .env.example                      # Added network config vars
├── src/
│   ├── components/
│   │   ├── AppHeader.vue             # Added NetworkIndicator
│   │   └── wallet/
│   │       └── WalletModal.vue       # Added network badge
│   ├── layouts/
│   │   └── DefaultLayout.vue         # Added TestnetBanner
│   └── composables/
│       └── useSolana.ts              # Uses CURRENT_NETWORK

🔍 Technical Implementation

Network Configuration (src/config/network.ts)

Key exports:

// Current network (from environment)
export const CURRENT_NETWORK: NetworkConfig;

// All available networks
export const AVAILABLE_NETWORKS: Record<NetworkType, NetworkConfig>;

// Helper functions
export function getNetworkBadgeText(network: NetworkConfig): string;
export function isTestnetEnvironment(): boolean;

NetworkConfig interface:

interface NetworkConfig {
  name: string;           // e.g., "devnet"
  displayName: string;    // e.g., "Devnet"
  type: NetworkType;      // mainnet-beta | testnet | devnet | localnet
  endpoint: string;       // RPC URL
  isTestnet: boolean;     // true for all except mainnet-beta
  color: string;          // Hex color for UI
}

Usage in Components

Import network config: 

import { CURRENT_NETWORK } from '@/config/network';

const network = CURRENT_NETWORK;

Conditional rendering: 

<template>
  <div v-if="network.isTestnet" class="testnet-indicator">
    {{ network.displayName }}
  </div>
</template>

Dynamic styling: 

<div :style="{ '--network-color': network.color }">
  <!-- Color will be used in CSS via var(--network-color) -->
</div>

🚀 How to Change Networks

For Development

  1. Edit .env file: 

    # Change network
VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK=testnet

  2. Restart dev server: 

    npm run dev

  3. Verify in browser:

  4. Banner shows "TESTNET" with red color
  5. Header shows testnet badge
  6. Wallet modal shows testnet badge

For Production

  1. Set environment variable during build: 

    VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK=mainnet-beta npm run build

  2. Verify that no testnet indicators appear:

  3. No banner
  4. No network badge in header
  5. No badge in wallet modal

Custom RPC Endpoint

If you want to use a custom RPC (e.g., paid RPC service):

# In .env
VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK=mainnet-beta
VITE_SOLANA_RPC_URL=https://my-custom-rpc.com

📱 Responsive Behavior

Desktop (> 860px)

  • Network badge appears in header next to wallet button
  • Banner spans full width at top
  • Wallet modal shows badge next to title

Mobile (≤ 860px)

  • Network badge appears in mobile nav menu
  • Banner text adjusts to smaller font
  • Wallet modal badge scales down

🎨 Visual Design

Color Scheme

Mainnet (No indicators shown): - Users see normal UI without network badges

Devnet (Orange): - Badge: Orange gradient (#FFA500) - Banner: Orange gradient background - Message: Helpful for developers

Testnet (Red): - Badge: Red gradient (#FF6B6B) - Banner: Red gradient background - Message: Warning about test environment

Localnet (Purple): - Badge: Purple gradient (#9B59B6) - Banner: Purple gradient background - Message: Local development indicator

Animations

Network Indicator Badge: - Gentle pulse animation (2s cycle) - Opacity: 1 → 0.8 → 1

Banner: - Sticky positioning (stays visible on scroll) - Smooth color gradients

✅ Testing Checklist

Visual Verification

  • Devnet: Orange banner and badges visible
  • Testnet: Red banner and badges visible
  • Mainnet-beta: No banners or badges
  • Localnet: Purple banner and badges visible

Functional Testing

  • Change VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK in .env
  • Restart dev server
  • Verify UI updates correctly
  • Check responsive behavior on mobile
  • Test wallet connection on each network
  • Verify RPC endpoint is correct

Cross-Browser Testing

  • Chrome/Chromium
  • Firefox
  • Safari (macOS)
  • Mobile browsers (iOS Safari, Chrome Mobile)

🛠️ Customization

Change Network Colors

Edit src/config/network.ts:

export const AVAILABLE_NETWORKS: Record<NetworkType, NetworkConfig> = {
  devnet: {
    // ...
    color: '#YOUR_COLOR', // Change to your preferred color
  },
};

Customize Banner Message

Edit src/components/TestnetBanner.vue:

<p class="testnet-banner__text">
  <strong>{{ network.displayName }} Environment:</strong>
  Your custom message here
</p>

Add Network Selector

To let users switch networks in the UI:

<select v-model="selectedNetwork" @change="switchNetwork">
  <option value="devnet">Devnet</option>
  <option value="testnet">Testnet</option>
  <option value="mainnet-beta">Mainnet</option>
</select>

Note: This requires page reload to take effect (environment variable).

📊 Network Comparison

When to Use Each Network

Network Use Case SOL Source Speed Stability
Devnet Active development, testing Faucet (free) Fast Medium
Testnet Pre-production testing Faucet (free) Medium Medium
Localnet Local development, debugging Genesis (free) Very Fast High
Mainnet Production, real users Purchase Fast High
  1. Localnet: Initial development and testing
  2. Devnet: Integration testing with other services
  3. Testnet: Final testing before production
  4. Mainnet: Production deployment

🔐 Security Considerations

Network Validation

The app validates the network environment: - ✅ Users always see which network they're on - ✅ No accidental mainnet transactions during testing - ✅ Clear visual distinction between test and production

Best Practices

  1. Never deploy to mainnet with testnet indicators
  2. Always verify VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK before deployment
  3. Test thoroughly on testnets before mainnet
  4. Use environment-specific .env files

🐛 Troubleshooting

Problem: Testnet banner doesn't appear Solutions: 1. Check .env has VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK set correctly 2. Restart dev server after changing .env 3. Clear browser cache and reload 4. Verify CURRENT_NETWORK.isTestnet === true

Wrong Network Color

Problem: Colors don't match expected network Solutions: 1. Check VITE_SOLANA_NETWORK matches expected value 2. Verify src/config/network.ts color values 3. Check CSS custom property --network-color is applied 4. Inspect element in browser DevTools

Custom RPC Not Working

Problem: App still uses default RPC Solutions: 1. Verify VITE_SOLANA_RPC_URL is set in .env 2. Check RPC URL is valid and accessible 3. Test RPC endpoint: curl https://your-rpc-url 4. Check browser console for connection errors

  • Wallet Integration: docs/WALLET-INTEGRATION-IMPLEMENTATION.md
  • Authentication Flow: docs/AUTH-FLOW-CLARIFICATION.md
  • Environment Setup: apps/web/.env.example

🎉 Summary

The network configuration system provides:

  • ✅ Clear visual indicators for testnet environments
  • ✅ Flexible configuration via environment variables
  • ✅ Responsive design for all screen sizes
  • ✅ Production-safe (no indicators on mainnet)
  • ✅ Developer-friendly (easy to switch networks)

Users will always know which network they're using, preventing confusion and potential mistakes with real funds.

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 Status: ✅ Production Ready Dev Server: Running at http://localhost:5173 with network indicators