Ethereum networks
Ethereum is an open source platform for creating and deploying distributed applications.
Ethereum is backed up by a large number of computers (also known as nodes) – all interconnected and storing data in a distributed ledger. The term here means that a copy of the ledger is available to each and every node on the network. It provides flexibility to its developers to deploy their solutions to multiple types of networks – that is, permissioned, private, or public. Developers should choose an appropriate network based on their requirements and use cases. These different networks also help in deploying solutions and smart contracts on networks that do not actually cost any ether or money. There are networks that are free along with ones that require their users to pay in terms of ether or other currencies for their usage. Let's discuss these different types of ether networks in more detail.