Setting up a dev environment

Using startup_regtest.sh

The Core Lightning project provides a script startup_regtest.sh to simulate the Lightning Network in your local dev environment. The script starts up some local nodes with bitcoind, all running on regtest and makes it easier to test things out, by hand.

Navigate to contrib in your Core Lightning directory:

cd contrib

Load the script, using source so it can set aliases:

source startup_regtest.sh

Start up the nodeset:

start_ln 3

Connect the nodes. The connect a b command connects node a to b:

connect 1 2

When you're finished, stop:

stop_ln

Clean up the lightning directories:

 destroy_ln

Using Polar

Polar offers a one-click setup of Lightning Network for local app development & testing.