When trying to deploy a smart contract, I keep getting `Error HH100: Network ropsten doesn't exist` -- how do I resolve?

Question

I'm running through these docs on deploying an NFT and I keep getting the error:

Error HH100: Network ropsten doesn't exist

The command I'm using can be found at step 16:

npx hardhat --network ropsten run scripts/deploy.js

---

This is what my deploy.js file looks like:

async function main() {
  const MyNFT = await ethers.getContractFactory("MyNFT")

  // Start deployment, returning a promise that resolves to a contract object
  const myNFT = await MyNFT.deploy()
  await myNFT.deployed()
  console.log("Contract deployed to address:", myNFT.address)
}

And this is what my hardhat.config.js file looks like:

/**
* @type import('hardhat/config').HardhatUserConfig
*/
require('dotenv').config();
require("@nomiclabs/hardhat-ethers");
const { API_URL, PRIVATE_KEY } = process.env;
module.exports = {
   solidity: "0.8.1",
   defaultNetwork: "rinkeby",
   networks: {
      hardhat: {},
      rinkeby: {
         url: API_URL,
         accounts: [`0x${PRIVATE_KEY}`]
      }
   },
}

How do I fix this error?

Answer 1

This hardhat error happens when you are trying to interact with a network that is not defined in the config file.

Specifically, because you are using the --network ropsten flag, the config file expects networks.ropsten to be defined. However, you only have networks.rinkeby defined. I'd recommend adding a definition for networks.ropsten (and making sure to use the appropriate API_URL for ropsten). For example:

/**
* @type import('hardhat/config').HardhatUserConfig
*/
require('dotenv').config();
require("@nomiclabs/hardhat-ethers");
const { RINKEBY_API_URL, ROPSTEN_API_URL, PRIVATE_KEY } = process.env;
module.exports = {
   solidity: "0.8.1",
   defaultNetwork: "rinkeby",
   networks: {
      hardhat: {},
      rinkeby: {
         url: RINKEBY_API_URL,
         accounts: [`0x${PRIVATE_KEY}`]
      },
      ropsten: {
         url: ROPSTEN_API_URL,
         accounts: [`0x${PRIVATE_KEY}`]
      },
   },
}

With this config, if you run:

npx hardhat --network ropsten run scripts/deploy.js

it should work!

P.S. Also make sure you have testnet ether:

• https://www.rinkebyfaucet.com/
• https://goerlifaucet.com/
• https://faucet.dimensions.network/