add docs on alpha- and betanets

pages/stack/_meta.json

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   "differences": "Differences between Ethereum and OP Stack chains",
   "design-principles": "Design philosophy & principles",
   "components": "OP Stack components",
+  "public-devnets": "Public devnets",
   "smart-contracts": "Smart contracts",
   "rollup": "Rollup",
   "fault-proofs": "Fault proofs",

pages/stack/public-devnets.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+---
+title: Public Devnets
+lang: en-US
+description: Learn about alphanets and betanets - the development networks for testing upcoming OP Stack releases. 
+---
+
+# Overview
+
+OP Labs maintains development networks (devnets) to test new OP Stack features.
+There are two different kinds of public devnets: alphanets and betanets, which serve different purposes and are deployed on different timelines.
+
+## Network types
+
+### Alphanets
+
+**Alphanets** are monthly devnets that include production-bound protocol upgrades that are ready for testing.
+We rely on alphanets to move faster while improving the reliability of upgrades.
+If a feature is ready by the monthly deployment date (typically the third Wednesday of the month), the feature will be included in that month's devnet.
+Otherwise, the feature must wait for the next alphanet.
+Features must be included on an alphanet before they can be deployed on a betanet.
+
+Alphanets decouple feature development and testing from hardfork scheduling, allowing teams to test and iterate on features well in advance of their release on mainnet.
+
+They're designed to stay fresh: Each one is deployed monthly and replaced, so they won't be useable as long-term networks.
+Each alphanet is launched from genesis, meaning that new features are encoded in genesis rather than undergoing a network upgrade from a preexisting version.
+The alphanet is then tested, with an emphasis on acceptance testing for new features followed by fault injection testing and performance / load testing.
+After five weeks, the alphanet is spun down and a new alphanet takes its place, with whatever new features have been developed in that time.
+
+Alphanets are named after animals and ordered alphabetically.
+
+### Betanets
+
+**Betanets** are devnets that are deployed on an as-needed basis, typically ahead of an upcoming hardfork.
+Features are activated using hardfork timestamps, mimicking the production upgrade process.
+
+Betanets are used to solidify the scope of the next hardfork before deploying to the production testnet (e.g., OP Sepolia).
+A betanet includes the exact set of features planned for inclusion in the next network upgrade.
+Features must be included on a betanet before they can be deployed on a testnet.
+
+## Devnet comparison
+
+| Network type       | Alphanet                                   | Betanet                                |
+| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
+| Purpose            | Early testing of production-bound features | Final validation for the next hardfork |
+| Deployment         | Monthly                                    | As-needed                              |
+| Feature activation | Included and activated at genesis          | Activated through a network upgrade    |
+| Lifecycle          | 5 weeks                                    | Until replaced by the next betanet     |
+
+## Current devnets
+
+**Alpaca**
+
+*   Launch date: 2025-01-15
+*   Anticipated end-of-life: 2025-02-19
+*   Scope: Adds updates to the L1 contracts to support upgrades via OP Contracts Manager.
+*   RPC endpoint: `<https://alpaca-0.optimism.io>`
+*   `manifest.yaml`: `<https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/devnets/blob/main/alphanets/alpaca/manifest.yaml>`

words.txt

@@ -9,13 +9,21 @@ airgap
 Allnodes
 Allocs
 allocs
+Alphanet
+alphanet
+Alphanets
+alphanets
 altda
 ANDI
 Ankr
 Apeworx
 Arweave
 authrpc
 basefee
+Betanet
+betanet
+Betanets
+betanets
 BGEZ
 BGTZ
 Biconomy