Chopsticks was created towards the end of 2022, but it is already a functional tool that can fork any Substrate-based network that uses the "AURA" or "BABE" consensus algorithm, including most parachains and relay chains. This makes it a valuable asset for developers in the Polkadot ecosystem.

While many parachain teams used Kusama-based parachains to test their code before deploying it to the Polkadot-based chain, there are often differences between the canary network and the mainnet. These differences can cause issues when deploying code, especially if the logic involves specific assets. This is where Chopsticks comes in, providing a testing environment that can simulate the same environment as the mainnet.

Impact

Chopsticks solves the problem of the inability to test certain scenarios that involve block number-related logic. Many Govs or Treasury votes have had to be recast due to errors, as precise and easy testing tools were not available. Chopsticks now enables testing in an environment identical to the mainnet, and the tool is available as open source for all Polkadot developers to start using.