Did you just call the Lightning Network an “altcoin network”? Because that’s a misinformed way to describe it. It needs an onchain transaction to open, and fund a channel in Lightning. In actuality those transactions in Lightning are Bitcoin transactions that have not been broadcasted in the Bitcoin network yet.
its its own network with its own separate client software
its own gossip protocol for peer connection and relay of data
you dont run bitcoin core directly on LN. you run LN software
the LN software bridges to A blockchain. but does not require that blockchain to be bitcoin..
its not a bitcoin layer solely for use with only bitcoin..
because the pegged coins can be altcoins aswell
many of the LN software are already programmed to be litecoin bridges.
and no not all lightning 'payments' are bitcoin transactions.
payments can be made in 'pico'-1decimal (12decimals of a mainnet of many blockchains coin
there are things.. which i have told you years ago. yep years ago. that have channels that do not ever get broadcast to main net of a blockchain network. because they will be rejected
i know you want to think about the 'funding commitment'(grandparent) and the 'payment channel commitment'(parent) but .. using their buzzwords
eltoo, micropayment, invoices. are smaller things of value transmission not in bitcoin denomination or format.
lets go with "micropayment channel"(child)
yes i get it you will yet again cry that when its channel close time, they can orphan the child and settle the parent. and yes you have obsessed about only wanting to describe the parent. but you keep ignoring the child(millisat) micropayment channels
but. to answer the question
LN uses its own software that wont work directly on mainnet blockchain networks
LN is its own network that mainnet blockchain software wont work directly on LN
there is a bridge splitting the networks
and LN can bridge to other networks
GET IT YET?