One-click Bitcoin Lightning networks for local app development & testing

Spend less time setting up your development environment, so you can spend more time building your next killer Lightning app.

Download for Linux
service-icon
Reduce Setup Time

Get started building on Lightning in minutes, instead of hours, or potentially days, if you setup a local network manually

service-icon
Visual Experience

Say goodbye to the command line and config files. Say hello to a pleasing graphical interface with all of the same functionality

service-icon
Improved Productivity

Spend more time building your app, and less time building your developer environment. Iterate faster so you can release faster

service-icon
Open Source

The source code is open for all to view. Community contributions of code, suggestions or issues are welcomed and appreciated

But wait, there's more...

Polar has a few more tricks up its sleeve to help make your Lightning development experience even more enjoyable

Multiple Bitcoin and Lightning nodes can be mixed and matched in a network to simulate many scenarios for testing. Here are the latest versions supported.

What Bitcoiners Are Saying

Polar has received some great feedback from the community. Here's what some Lightning developers and enthusiasts have to say about it...

testimonial-avatar
Will O'Beirne
@wbobeirne

Easily the biggest development for Lightning creators yet. If you're looking to build lightning apps or already doing so, Polar is a must have.

testimonial-avatar
Carla Kirk-Cohen
@actuallyCarlaKC

@ChaincodeLabs ressie @jamaljsr doing the MOST for LN developers everywhere đź‘Ź

Tools which make it easier to build on Lightning play such an important role in development. I’ve already deleted a few tiresome setup scripts thanks to Polar!

testimonial-avatar
Michael Goldstein
@bitstein

I've been playing with this a little bit this afternoon. This is incredibly useful!

Even if you aren't a developer, this is a great way to dip your toes into the Lightning Network.

testimonial-avatar
Marty Bent
@MartyBent

@jamaljsr built Polar, a tool that devs building on the Lightning Network can use to quickly build and test ideas. Quicker testing and iterating leads to better, more useful products. Useful products are good. Number go up.

testimonial-avatar
Alex Bosworth
@alexbosworth

Pretty cool tool for deploying LND and RegTest nodes if you haven't seen it: https://github.com/jamaljsr/polar

I personally spend a lot of time spinning up mini networks of RegTest nodes backing up LNDs in varied configurations in order to play out various scenarios for testing purposes.

testimonial-avatar
Stacie
@satsie_

For developers looking to create comprehensive test environments, i was really impressed with Polar by @jamaljsr (https://github.com/jamaljsr/polar link includes a short video). Also from a technical standpoint it’s fantastic - 100% code cov, international support out of the gate, etc.

testimonial-avatar
Evan Kaloudis
@evankaloudis

Interested in building apps on lightning? Check out @jamaljsr's Polar. No more command line headaches, just point and click and you have a virtual network of nodes in minutes. Been using it to iron out the upcoming Zeus release. I absolutely love it.

testimonial-avatar
Francisco Calderón ⚡
@negrunch

I just tried polar and I can say It's awesome, it saves a lot of time in configuration at the moment of start a new #LightningNetwork project.

great work!

testimonial-avatar
Ivan 🔑
@ivanacostarubio

Polar by @jamaljsr is a game changer for lightning developers. Just tried it and made my life better. Saved a lot of time.

Highly recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to commonly asked questions, which will likely lead to them being asked a bit less frequently. Interesting...

Still have a question?

Please head on over to the project's GitHub repo to let us know what's on your mind.