Exploring the Movement Blockchain Network: A Hands-On Guide

Movement is a modular blockchain network based on the Move language, offering a development framework for building decentralized applications. This guide provides an in-depth exploration of its two testnets—M1 and M2—and walks you through deploying smart contracts on both.

What Is Movement?

Movement is a modular blockchain platform that leverages the Move language. It provides tools and frameworks for developers to build scalable and efficient decentralized applications. As of December 2023, Movement operates two testnets: M1 and M2.

Key Features of M1

• Avalanche Subnet Integration: Utilizes Avalanche's subnet infrastructure.
• Aptos Compatibility: Supports Aptos and aims to include Sui compatibility in the future.
• Move VM: Executes Move-based smart contracts.
• Fractal Support: Allows deployment of Solidity smart contracts.
• Snowman Consensus: Ensures high throughput and low latency.

Key Features of M2

• Ethereum L2: Functions as a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum.
• Sui Compatibility: Fully compatible with Sui’s Move VM.
• Celestia for Data Availability: Uses Celestia as its DA layer.
• Future Adaptability: M2 will be repurposed once M1 achieves Sui compatibility.

With Move VM and Avalanche’s consensus, Movement achieves over 140,000 TPS, making it a promising platform for high-performance applications.

Getting Started with M2

For developers familiar with EVM-based chains but new to Sui, M2 offers an excellent entry point. Below is a step-by-step guide to deploying a Move-based smart contract on M2.

1. Set Up a Sui Wallet

• Install the Sui Wallet Chrome extension.

• Configure the custom RPC for M2 testnet:

  https://devnet.m2.movementlabs.xyz

2. Acquire Testnet Tokens

• Request MOV tokens from the Movement faucet.

3. Prepare the Development Environment

• Use VS Code with Dev Containers.

• Pull the Docker image and start the container:

  docker run -it -v "$(pwd):/workspace" mvlbs/m1-cli /bin/bash

• Create a new Sui Move project:

  movement sui move new your_project_name

4. Write and Deploy a Move Contract

• Place your .move files in /sources.

• Deploy using:

  movement sui client publish --gas-budget 20000000

• Resolve dependency errors by running:

  sui client publish --gas-budget 20000000 --skip-dependency-verification

5. Mint an NFT

• Call the mint function:

  sui client call --package your_package_id --module devnet_nft --function mint --gas-budget 10000000 --args "NFT Name" "Description" "https://example.com/image.png"

Testing M1 with Solidity Smart Contracts

M1 supports EVM-compatible smart contracts. Here’s how to deploy one:

1. Add M1 to Your EVM Wallet

• Network Name: Movement M1 Testnet
• RPC URL: https://mevm.devnet.m1.movementlabs.xyz/v1
• Chain ID: (Check official docs)
• Currency Symbol: MOV

2. Fund Your Wallet

• Use the M1 faucet to get testnet MOV.

3. Deploy via Remix

• Compile an ERC721 contract in Remix.
• Connect your wallet and deploy using the "Injected Provider" option.

FAQ

Q1: What is Movement’s consensus mechanism?

Movement uses Snowman Consensus for M1 (Avalanche-based) and integrates Celestia for M2’s data availability.

Q2: Can I use Solidity on Movement?

Yes! M1 supports Solidity smart contracts via Fractal, while M2 focuses on Move-based applications.

Q3: How do I troubleshoot deployment errors?

Ensure dependencies match on-chain versions or use --skip-dependency-verification as a temporary fix.

👉 Discover more about Movement’s ecosystem
👉 Join the Movement developer community

Movement’s testnets showcase its potential as a high-throughput, modular blockchain. While still in development, its dual compatibility with Move and EVM makes it a platform to watch. Stay tuned for updates as Movement progresses toward mainnet!