Building on LitVM: EVM Equivalence and Developer Guide

To deploy contract on LitVM, developers can use standard Ethereum development toolchains including Hardhat, Foundry, Remix, ethers.js, and viem without modifying their Solidity code. Because LitVM is fully EVM-equivalent and targets the Shanghai EVM specification, existing Ethereum smart contracts deploy directly to the network. Network connections target the LitVM LiteForge testnet, as mainnet has not launched and is scheduled to follow the token generation event and ongoing security audits.

Developers building on the network should note that LitVM operates as a hybrid rollup rather than a pure zkRollup. Under this architecture, an Arbitrum Nitro execution environment processes transactions optimistically with 161ms block times, while Succinct SP1 zkVM generates validity proofs to confirm state transitions without the traditional seven-day challenge window.

Network Parameters for LiteForge Testnet

To configure developer environments or browser wallets to deploy contract on LitVM, use the public LiteForge testnet network details managed via Caldera's rollup-as-a-service infrastructure.

Parameter	LiteForge Testnet Value
Network Name	LitVM LiteForge
Chain ID	4441
Gas Token	zkLTC
EVM Version	Shanghai
HTTP RPC URL	https://liteforge.rpc.caldera.xyz/http
WebSocket RPC URL	wss://liteforge.rpc.caldera.xyz/ws
Block Explorer	https://liteforge.explorer.caldera.xyz
Faucet	https://liteforge.hub.caldera.xyz

Testnet gas is paid in zkLTC, which mirrors the 1:1 LTC-backed asset used for execution fees across the rollup. Developers can obtain testnet gas tokens through the Caldera faucet interface. Note that the Caldera faucet actively rate-limits traffic originating from VPNs and proxy connections.

Tooling Compatibility and Setup

LitVM maintains full EVM equivalence, which eliminates the custom compiler requirements or restricted bytecode subsets often found in non-equivalent zkEVM platforms. Any tool that targets the Ethereum JSON-RPC and Shanghai EVM executes normally.

Hardhat

In a standard hardhat.config.js or hardhat.config.ts file, developers configure the liteforge network entry with the chain ID 4441, the HTTP RPC endpoint, and the deployment private key. Contracts compile using standard solc releases configured for the Shanghai target or earlier.

Foundry

Foundry developers can deploy directly via forge create or using Solidity scripting with forge script. Setting the RPC flag to --rpc-url https://liteforge.rpc.caldera.xyz/http allows Foundry to broadcast transactions, query chain state, and run integration tests against the live LiteForge testnet without custom plugins.

Remix and Web3 Libraries

Browser-based deployment through Remix IDE works by selecting the Injected Provider environment configured to Chain ID 4441. Frontend applications and scripts using ethers.js or viem connect to the HTTP or WebSocket endpoints using standard JSON-RPC provider classes.

Precompiles and ArbSys Support

Because LitVM uses Arbitrum Nitro for its execution engine, standard Arbitrum system contracts and precompiles are natively accessible on the chain.

• ArbSys (0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000064): Allows contracts to query rollup-level block metadata, interact with sequencer-provided data, and initiate Layer 2 to Layer 1 messaging pathways.
• Arbitrum Precompiles: System-level precompiles included in Nitro are available at their standard addresses for gas-efficient hashing, signature checks, and system utility functions.

These precompiles operate identically to their implementation on Arbitrum Orbit chains, allowing applications ported from other Nitro-based ecosystems to maintain compatibility.

Data Oracles and Ecosystem Integrations

Decentralized applications requiring external price data or off-chain feeds can access DIA oracles on LitVM. DIA supplies data directly to smart contracts on the network for financial applications, lending markets, and automated asset routing.

For LTC asset bridging, the ecosystem relies on the BitcoinOS Grail bridge, which locks LTC in Taproot scripts on the Litecoin mainchain and mints zkLTC 1:1 on the rollup using BitSNARK 300-byte validity proofs. For Ethereum-native assets such as ETH, USDC, USDT, and arbitrary ERC-20 tokens, the Arbitrum Bridge provides separate optimistic-plus-ZK cross-chain communication.

Network Performance and Metrics

As of 15 August 2026, the LitVM LiteForge testnet has recorded the following operational figures:

• Total Blocks: 40.5M
• Total Transactions: 237.1M
• Unique Wallets: 13.1M
• Average Block Time: 161ms
• Proof Generation Cost: Roughly $0.01–0.02 per transaction via Succinct SP1 zkVM

Batches group up to 10,000 transactions per rollup block with parallel proof generation and calldata compression. Transaction ordering is handled by Espresso, a permissionless shared sequencer designed to mitigate censorship and single-operator halts.

Developer Resources and Hackathons

Official technical documentation for integrating, building, and deploying applications is maintained at docs.litvm.com. The project also runs developer competitions hosted at hackathon.litvm.com.

Community members have also established independent educational material, such as litvm-academy.pro, which is a seven-module training course. Note that litvm-academy.pro is an independent, community-built resource and is not affiliated with LitVM, Lunar Digital Assets, or the Litecoin Foundation.

Developers must exercise caution regarding network tokens: $LITVM does not exist as a tradeable asset yet. The token generation event is scheduled to follow the testnet, prior to mainnet launch. Any token currently circulating under the $LITVM ticker is fraudulent.

Questions

What tools can I use to deploy contract on LitVM?

LitVM is fully EVM-equivalent, so you can use standard Ethereum development tools including Hardhat, Foundry, Remix, ethers.js, and viem. Contracts compiled for the Shanghai EVM specification deploy directly without code changes.

What are the RPC and Chain ID settings for the LitVM testnet?

The LitVM LiteForge testnet uses Chain ID 4441 and the gas token zkLTC. Its HTTP RPC endpoint is https://liteforge.rpc.caldera.xyz/http, the WebSocket endpoint is wss://liteforge.rpc.caldera.xyz/ws, and the explorer is located at https://liteforge.explorer.caldera.xyz.

How does LitVM handle smart contract execution and proof generation?

LitVM is a hybrid rollup rather than a pure zkRollup. Arbitrum Nitro executes transactions optimistically for sub-second block times, while Succinct SP1 zkVM proves execution to reach validity finality in minutes.

Are Arbitrum precompiles and oracles available on LitVM?

Yes. ArbSys and standard Arbitrum Nitro precompiles are accessible at their standard addresses on LitVM. Price feeds and oracle data are provided natively by DIA.