# Interchain Unit Tests with Axelar Local Dev

Testing your application is critical before going to production, especially in Web3. [Axelar Local Dev](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@axelar-network/axelar-local-dev) allows you to simulate interchain transactions on the Axelar Gateway right on your local machine. This provides a Ganache-like testing experience before officially migrating to testnet.

The following examples are configured for [Hardhat](https://hardhat.org/hardhat-runner/docs/getting-started#overview) based the [`axelar-examples` repo](https://github.com/axelarnetwork/axelar-examples). Feel free to replicate some of these tests in your own interchain applications.

## **Run the tests**

Axelar Local Dev contains tests for the [Call Contract](https://github.com/axelarnetwork/axelar-examples/tree/main/examples/evm/call-contract), [Call Contract With Token](https://github.com/axelarnetwork/axelar-examples/tree/main/examples/evm/call-contract-with-token), and [NFT Linker](https://github.com/axelarnetwork/axelar-examples/tree/main/examples/evm/nft-linker) examples. Make sure you are in the `evm` directory before running the `npx hardhat test` command for each example you want to test.

For example, to run the NFT Linker example:

```bash
npx hardhat test nft-linker/tests/NftLinker.test.js
```

## **Testing interchain contracts**

There are a few things to keep in mind when testing contracts with cross-chain functionality:

* Make sure that you have a local network running for each chain. You can create a new local network with the `createNetwork` command on Axelar Local Dev.
    
* Interchain transactions are triggered with the `relay()` function. The logic you are testing on the destination chain will not execute until the transaction is relayed.
    

## **What's next**

* Check out the [Foundry Axelar GMP integration](https://blog.axelar.dev/foundry-axelar-gmp-example-now-supports-axelar-local-cross-chain-development) with Axelar Local Dev.
    

## **Get support**

If you have any questions or concerns, open an issue in our [**support repository**](https://github.com/axelarnetwork/support). We're here to help.