stacks-network · simone-stacks · Apr 15, 2026 · Apr 15, 2026 · Apr 15, 2026 · Apr 15, 2026
diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -57,26 +57,6 @@
       ],
       "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
     },
-    {
-      "type": "lldb",
-      "request": "launch",
-      "name": "executable 'stacks-node' -- mocknet",
-      "cargo": {
-        "args": [
-          "build",
-          "--bin=stacks-node",
-          "--package=stacks-node"
-        ],
-        "filter": {
-          "name": "stacks-node",
-          "kind": "bin"
-        }
-      },
-      "args": [
-        "mocknet"
-      ],
-      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
-    },
     {
       "type": "lldb",
       "request": "launch",

diff --git a/changelog.d/6408-remove-helium.removed b/changelog.d/6408-remove-helium.removed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Removed `helium` network mode and its legacy Stacks 2.x run loop. This included the `Node` struct, `Tenure` struct, `RunLoopCallbacks`, and related test infrastructure incompatible with Epoch 3 (Nakamoto). Shared genesis utilities relocated to `genesis.rs`. Use [Clarinet](https://github.com/hirosystems/clarinet) or `nakamoto-neon` mode for local development.
diff --git a/changelog.d/6553-remove-mocknet.removed b/changelog.d/6553-remove-mocknet.removed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Removed `mocknet` network mode. This used a simulated in-process burnchain incompatible with Epoch 3 (Nakamoto). Use [Clarinet](https://github.com/hirosystems/clarinet) or a private testnet (`nakamoto-neon` mode) for local development.
diff --git a/contrib/stacks-inspect/README.md b/contrib/stacks-inspect/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ cargo build -p stacks-inspect
 
 ```
 --config <CONFIG_FILE>       Path to stacks-node configuration file
---network-config <NETWORK>   Use a predefined network (helium, mainnet, mocknet, xenon)
+--network-config <NETWORK>   Use a predefined network (mainnet, xenon)
 --version                    Show version information
 --help                       Show help
 ```

diff --git a/contrib/stacks-inspect/src/cli.rs b/contrib/stacks-inspect/src/cli.rs
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ pub struct Cli {
     #[arg(long, global = true, value_name = "CONFIG_FILE")]
     pub config: Option<String>,
 
-    /// Use a predefined network configuration (helium, mainnet, mocknet, xenon)
+    /// Use a predefined network configuration (mainnet, xenon)
     #[arg(long = "network-config", global = true, value_name = "NETWORK")]
     pub network_config: Option<String>,
 

diff --git a/contrib/stacks-inspect/src/main.rs b/contrib/stacks-inspect/src/main.rs
@@ -322,9 +322,7 @@ fn build_common_opts(cli: &Cli) -> CommonOpts {
     // Handle --network-config option
     if let Some(ref network) = cli.network_config {
         let config_file = match network.to_lowercase().as_str() {
-            "helium" => ConfigFile::helium(),
             "mainnet" => ConfigFile::mainnet(),
-            "mocknet" => ConfigFile::mocknet(),
             "xenon" => ConfigFile::xenon(),
             other => {
                 eprintln!("Unknown network choice `{other}`");

diff --git a/docs/follower.md b/docs/follower.md
@@ -69,17 +69,9 @@ events_keys = ["stackerdb", "block_proposal", "burn_blocks"]
 auth_token = "your-secret-token"
 ```
 
-## Local Development (Mocknet)
+## Local Development
 
-For local development without a Bitcoin node, use mocknet mode:
-
-```bash
-stacks-node start --config=mocknet.toml
-```
-
-Mocknet runs a simulated burnchain in-process, removes execution cost limits,
-and requires pre-funded test accounts via `[[ustx_balance]]` entries.
-See [`mocknet.toml`](../sample/conf/mocknet.toml).
+For local development, use [Clarinet](https://github.com/hirosystems/clarinet) for contract development, or run a private testnet with `nakamoto-neon` mode and a local bitcoind regtest node.
 
 ## Environment Variables
 
@@ -99,7 +91,6 @@ These environment variables affect node behavior and cannot be set via TOML:
 | --- | --- |
 | [`mainnet-follower-conf.toml`](../sample/conf/mainnet-follower-conf.toml) | Mainnet follower |
 | [`testnet-follower-conf.toml`](../sample/conf/testnet-follower-conf.toml) | Testnet follower |
-| [`mocknet.toml`](../sample/conf/mocknet.toml) | Local mocknet development |
 
 ## Further Reading
 

diff --git a/docs/mining.md b/docs/mining.md
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ signer configuration and the critical miner-signer coordination settings.
 | [`mainnet-follower-conf.toml`](../sample/conf/mainnet-follower-conf.toml)    | Mainnet follower (read-only node)                       |
 | [`testnet-follower-conf.toml`](../sample/conf/testnet-follower-conf.toml)    | Testnet follower                                        |
 | [`testnet-signer.toml`](../sample/conf/testnet-signer.toml)                  | Testnet node-side signer config                         |
-| [`mocknet.toml`](../sample/conf/mocknet.toml)                                | Local mocknet development                               |
 
 ## RBF Configuration
 

diff --git a/sample/conf/mainnet-miner-conf.toml b/sample/conf/mainnet-miner-conf.toml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ p2p_bind = "0.0.0.0:20444"
 # bootstrap_node = "02e...@seed.mainnet.hiro.so:20444"
 
 # Human-readable node name (used in logging).
-# Default: "helium-node"
+# Default: "stacks-node"
 # name = "my-stacks-miner"
 
 # Disable microblocks (not used in Nakamoto / Epoch 3.0+).

diff --git a/sample/conf/mocknet.toml b/sample/conf/mocknet.toml
diff --git a/sample/conf/signer/mainnet-signer-conf.toml b/sample/conf/signer/mainnet-signer-conf.toml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ node_host = "127.0.0.1:20443"
 endpoint = "0.0.0.0:30000"
 
 # REQUIRED: Network selection.
-# Valid values: "mainnet", "testnet", "mocknet"
+# Valid values: "mainnet", "testnet"
 network = "mainnet"
 
 # REQUIRED: Authorization password for the node's block proposal endpoint.

diff --git a/stacks-node/Stacks.toml b/stacks-node/Stacks.toml
diff --git a/stacks-node/src/burnchains/bitcoin_regtest_controller.rs b/stacks-node/src/burnchains/bitcoin_regtest_controller.rs
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ use stacks_common::deps_common::bitcoin::blockdata::transaction::{
 use stacks_common::deps_common::bitcoin::network::serialize::{serialize, serialize_hex};
 use stacks_common::deps_common::bitcoin::util::hash::Sha256dHash;
 use stacks_common::types::chainstate::BurnchainHeaderHash;
-use stacks_common::util::hash::{hex_bytes, Hash160};
+#[cfg(test)]
+use stacks_common::util::hash::hex_bytes;
+use stacks_common::util::hash::Hash160;
 use stacks_common::util::secp256k1::Secp256k1PublicKey;
 use stacks_common::util::sleep_ms;
 
@@ -571,7 +573,7 @@ impl BitcoinRegtestController {
         let coordinator_comms = match self.use_coordinator.as_ref() {
             Some(x) => x.clone(),
             None => {
-                // pre-PoX helium node
+                // no coordinator — fall back to direct indexer sync
                 let tip = self.receive_blocks_helium();
                 let height = tip.block_snapshot.block_height;
                 return Ok((tip, height));
@@ -1948,6 +1950,7 @@ impl BitcoinRegtestController {
     }
 
     /// Instruct a regtest Bitcoin node to build the next block.
+    #[cfg(test)]
     pub fn build_next_block(&self, num_blocks: u64) {
         debug!("Generate {num_blocks} block(s)");
         let public_key_bytes = match &self.config.burnchain.local_mining_public_key {
@@ -1960,25 +1963,9 @@ impl BitcoinRegtestController {
             .expect("FATAL: invalid public key bytes");
         let address = self.get_miner_address(StacksEpochId::Epoch21, &public_key);
 
-        let result = self
-            .get_rpc_client()
-            .generate_to_address(num_blocks, &address);
-        /*
-            Temporary: not using `BitcoinRpcClientResultExt::ok_or_log_panic` (test code related),
-            because we need this logic available outside `#[cfg(test)]` due to Helium network.
-
-            After the Helium cleanup (https://github.com/stacks-network/stacks-core/issues/6408),
-            we can:
-              - move `build_next_block` behind `#[cfg(test)]`
-              - simplify this match by using `ok_or_log_panic`.
-        */
-        match result {
-            Ok(_) => {}
-            Err(e) => {
-                error!("Bitcoin RPC failure: error generating block {e:?}");
-                panic!();
-            }
-        }
+        self.get_rpc_client()
+            .generate_to_address(num_blocks, &address)
+            .ok_or_log_panic("error generating block");
     }
 
     /// Instruct a regtest Bitcoin node to build an empty block.
@@ -2365,14 +2352,8 @@ impl BurnchainController for BitcoinRegtestController {
         &mut self,
         target_block_height_opt: Option<u64>,
     ) -> Result<(BurnchainTip, u64), BurnchainControllerError> {
-        let (burnchain_tip, burnchain_height) = if self.config.burnchain.mode == "helium" {
-            // Helium: this node is responsible for mining new burnchain blocks
-            self.build_next_block(1);
-            self.receive_blocks(true, None)?
-        } else {
-            // Neon: this node is waiting on a block to be produced
-            self.receive_blocks(true, target_block_height_opt)?
-        };
+        let (burnchain_tip, burnchain_height) =
+            self.receive_blocks(true, target_block_height_opt)?;
 
         // Evaluate process_exit_at_block_height setting
         if let Some(cap) = self.config.burnchain.process_exit_at_block_height {
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
		@@ -0,0 +1 @@
		Removed `helium` network mode and its legacy Stacks 2.x run loop. This included the `Node` struct, `Tenure` struct, `RunLoopCallbacks`, and related test infrastructure incompatible with Epoch 3 (Nakamoto). Shared genesis utilities relocated to `genesis.rs`. Use [Clarinet](https://github.com/hirosystems/clarinet) or `nakamoto-neon` mode for local development.
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
		@@ -0,0 +1 @@
		Removed `mocknet` network mode. This used a simulated in-process burnchain incompatible with Epoch 3 (Nakamoto). Use [Clarinet](https://github.com/hirosystems/clarinet) or a private testnet (`nakamoto-neon` mode) for local development.