diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b93443b18..87d96e04c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@
 [![GitHub Discussions](https://img.shields.io/github/discussions/lostisland/faraday?logo=github)](https://github.com/lostisland/faraday/discussions)
 
 
-Faraday is an HTTP client library that provides a common interface over many
-adapters (such as Net::HTTP) and embraces the concept of Rack middleware when
-processing the request/response cycle.
+Faraday is an HTTP client library abstraction layer that provides a common interface over many
+adapters (such as Net::HTTP) and embraces the concept of Rack middleware when processing the request/response cycle.
+You probably don't want to use Faraday directly in your project, as it will lack an actual client library to perform
+requests. Instead, you probably want to have a look at [Awesome Faraday][awesome] for a list of available adapters.
 
-## ATTENTION
+## FARADAY 2.0
 
-You're reading the README and looking at the code of our upcoming v2.0 release (the `main` branch).
+You're reading the README and looking at the code of our upcoming v2.0 release (the `main` branch, currently in alpha).
 If you're here to read about our latest v1.x release, then please head over to the [1.x branch](https://github.com/lostisland/faraday/tree/1.x).
 
 ## Getting Started
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ But before you start coding, please read our [Contributing Guide][contributing]
 ## Copyright
 © 2009 - 2021, the [Faraday Team][faraday_team]. Website and branding design by [Elena Lo Piccolo](https://elelopic.design).
 
+[awesome]:      https://github.com/lostisland/awesome-faraday/#adapters
 [website]:      https://lostisland.github.io/faraday
 [faraday_team]: https://lostisland.github.io/faraday/team
 [contributing]: https://github.com/lostisland/faraday/blob/master/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
diff --git a/UPGRADING.md b/UPGRADING.md
index 3912aff45..1dd727482 100644
--- a/UPGRADING.md
+++ b/UPGRADING.md
@@ -31,6 +31,19 @@ We did our best to make this transition as painless as possible for you, so here
 * We've setup an [Awesome Faraday](https://github.com/lostisland/awesome-faraday) repository, where you can find and discover adapters.
   We also highlighted their unique features and level of compliance with Faraday's features.
 
+#### That's great! What should I change in my code immediately after upgrading?
+
+* Add the corresponding adapter gem to your Gemfile (e.g. `faraday-net_http`). Ideally, this should replace
+  `faraday` altogether as these gems usually have Faraday already in their dependencies.
+* If you're relying on `Faraday.default_adapter` (e.g. if you use `Faraday.get` or other verb class methods, or not
+  specifying an adapter in your connection initializer), then you'll now need to set it yourself. It previously
+  defaulted to `:net_http`, but it now defaults to `:test`. You can do so simply by using the setter:
+  
+  ```ruby
+  # For example, to use net_http (previous default value, will now require `gem 'faraday-net_http'` in your gemfile)
+  Faraday.default_adapter = :net_http
+  ```
+
 ### Autoloading and dependencies
 
 Faraday has until now provided and relied on a complex dynamic dependencies system.
diff --git a/faraday.gemspec b/faraday.gemspec
index c343c2d90..11ce82812 100644
--- a/faraday.gemspec
+++ b/faraday.gemspec
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
 
   spec.required_ruby_version = '>= 2.6'
 
-  spec.add_dependency 'faraday-net_http', '~> 1.0'
   spec.add_dependency 'multipart-post', '>= 1.2', '< 3'
   spec.add_dependency 'ruby2_keywords', '>= 0.0.4'
 
diff --git a/lib/faraday.rb b/lib/faraday.rb
index 9eb7778e7..92cb32301 100644
--- a/lib/faraday.rb
+++ b/lib/faraday.rb
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class << self
 
     # @overload default_adapter
     #   Gets the Symbol key identifying a default Adapter to use
-    #   for the default {Faraday::Connection}. Defaults to `:net_http`.
+    #   for the default {Faraday::Connection}. Defaults to `:test`.
     #   @return [Symbol] the default adapter
     # @overload default_adapter=(adapter)
     #   Updates default adapter while resetting {.default_connection}.
@@ -150,5 +150,5 @@ def method_missing(name, *args, &block)
   self.ignore_env_proxy = false
   self.root_path = File.expand_path __dir__
   self.lib_path = File.expand_path 'faraday', __dir__
-  self.default_adapter = :net_http
+  self.default_adapter = :test
 end
diff --git a/spec/faraday/adapter/net_http_spec.rb b/spec/faraday/adapter/net_http_spec.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 8e8f88d52..000000000
--- a/spec/faraday/adapter/net_http_spec.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-# frozen_string_literal: true
-
-require 'faraday/net_http'
-
-# Even though Faraday::Adapter::NetHttp is not shipped with Faraday anymore,
-# this is still useful to test `it_behaves_like 'an adapter'` shared examples.
-RSpec.describe Faraday::Adapter::NetHttp do
-  features :request_body_on_query_methods, :reason_phrase_parse, :compression, :streaming, :trace_method
-
-  it_behaves_like 'an adapter'
-end
diff --git a/spec/faraday/connection_spec.rb b/spec/faraday/connection_spec.rb
index 3b88035f4..3008ef4c0 100644
--- a/spec/faraday/connection_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/faraday/connection_spec.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+class CustomEncoder
+  def encode(params)
+    params.map { |k, v| "#{k.upcase}-#{v.to_s.upcase}" }.join(',')
+  end
+
+  def decode(params)
+    params.split(',').map { |pair| pair.split('-') }.to_h
+  end
+end
+
 shared_examples 'initializer with url' do
   context 'with simple url' do
     let(:address) { 'http://sushi.com' }
@@ -130,7 +140,7 @@
     context 'with block' do
       let(:conn) do
         Faraday::Connection.new(params: { 'a' => '1' }) do |faraday|
-          faraday.adapter :net_http
+          faraday.adapter :test
           faraday.url_prefix = 'http://sushi.com/omnom'
         end
       end
@@ -540,26 +550,32 @@
     end
 
     context 'performing a request' do
-      before { stub_request(:get, 'http://example.com') }
+      let(:url) { 'http://example.com' }
+      let(:conn) do
+        Faraday.new do |f|
+          f.adapter :test do |stubs|
+            stubs.get(url) do
+              [200, {}, 'ok']
+            end
+          end
+        end
+      end
 
       it 'dynamically checks proxy' do
         with_env 'http_proxy' => 'http://proxy.com:80' do
-          conn = Faraday.new
           expect(conn.proxy.uri.host).to eq('proxy.com')
 
-          conn.get('http://example.com') do |req|
+          conn.get(url) do |req|
             expect(req.options.proxy.uri.host).to eq('proxy.com')
           end
         end
 
-        conn.get('http://example.com')
+        conn.get(url)
         expect(conn.instance_variable_get('@temp_proxy')).to be_nil
       end
 
       it 'dynamically check no proxy' do
         with_env 'http_proxy' => 'http://proxy.com', 'no_proxy' => 'example.com' do
-          conn = Faraday.new
-
           expect(conn.proxy.uri.host).to eq('proxy.com')
 
           conn.get('http://example.com') do |req|
@@ -628,9 +644,16 @@
   describe 'request params' do
     context 'with simple url' do
       let(:url) { 'http://example.com' }
-      let!(:stubbed) { stub_request(:get, 'http://example.com?a=a&p=3') }
+      let(:stubs) { Faraday::Adapter::Test::Stubs.new }
+
+      before do
+        conn.adapter(:test, stubs)
+        stubs.get('http://example.com?a=a&p=3') do
+          [200, {}, 'ok']
+        end
+      end
 
-      after { expect(stubbed).to have_been_made.once }
+      after { stubs.verify_stubbed_calls }
 
       it 'test_overrides_request_params' do
         conn.get('?p=2&a=a', p: 3)
@@ -652,15 +675,22 @@
     context 'with url and extra params' do
       let(:url) { 'http://example.com?a=1&b=2' }
       let(:options) { { params: { c: 3 } } }
+      let(:stubs) { Faraday::Adapter::Test::Stubs.new }
+
+      before do
+        conn.adapter(:test, stubs)
+      end
 
       it 'merges connection and request params' do
-        stubbed = stub_request(:get, 'http://example.com?a=1&b=2&c=3&limit=5&page=1')
+        expected = 'http://example.com?a=1&b=2&c=3&limit=5&page=1'
+        stubs.get(expected) { [200, {}, 'ok'] }
         conn.get('?page=1', limit: 5)
-        expect(stubbed).to have_been_made.once
+        stubs.verify_stubbed_calls
       end
 
       it 'allows to override all params' do
-        stubbed = stub_request(:get, 'http://example.com?b=b')
+        expected = 'http://example.com?b=b'
+        stubs.get(expected) { [200, {}, 'ok'] }
         conn.get('?p=1&a=a', p: 2) do |req|
           expect(req.params[:a]).to eq('a')
           expect(req.params['c']).to eq(3)
@@ -668,47 +698,61 @@
           req.params = { b: 'b' }
           expect(req.params['b']).to eq('b')
         end
-        expect(stubbed).to have_been_made.once
+        stubs.verify_stubbed_calls
       end
 
       it 'allows to set params_encoder for single request' do
-        encoder = Object.new
-        def encoder.encode(params)
-          params.map { |k, v| "#{k.upcase}-#{v.to_s.upcase}" }.join(',')
-        end
-        stubbed = stub_request(:get, 'http://example.com/?A-1,B-2,C-3,FEELING-BLUE')
+        encoder = CustomEncoder.new
+        expected = 'http://example.com/?A-1,B-2,C-3,FEELING-BLUE'
+        stubs.get(expected) { [200, {}, 'ok'] }
 
-        conn.get('/', feeling: 'blue') do |req|
+        conn.get('/', a: 1, b: 2, c: 3, feeling: 'blue') do |req|
           req.options.params_encoder = encoder
         end
-        expect(stubbed).to have_been_made.once
+        stubs.verify_stubbed_calls
       end
     end
 
     context 'with default params encoder' do
-      let!(:stubbed) { stub_request(:get, 'http://example.com?color%5B%5D=red&color%5B%5D=blue') }
-      after { expect(stubbed).to have_been_made.once }
+      let(:stubs) { Faraday::Adapter::Test::Stubs.new }
+
+      before do
+        conn.adapter(:test, stubs)
+        stubs.get('http://example.com?color%5B%5D=blue&color%5B%5D=red') do
+          [200, {}, 'ok']
+        end
+      end
+
+      after { stubs.verify_stubbed_calls }
 
       it 'supports array params in url' do
-        conn.get('http://example.com?color[]=red&color[]=blue')
+        conn.get('http://example.com?color[]=blue&color[]=red')
       end
 
       it 'supports array params in params' do
-        conn.get('http://example.com', color: %w[red blue])
+        conn.get('http://example.com', color: %w[blue red])
       end
     end
 
     context 'with flat params encoder' do
       let(:options) { { request: { params_encoder: Faraday::FlatParamsEncoder } } }
-      let!(:stubbed) { stub_request(:get, 'http://example.com?color=blue') }
-      after { expect(stubbed).to have_been_made.once }
+      let(:stubs) { Faraday::Adapter::Test::Stubs.new }
+
+      before do
+        conn.adapter(:test, stubs)
+        stubs.get('http://example.com?color=blue&color=red') do
+          [200, {}, 'ok']
+        end
+      end
+
+      after { stubs.verify_stubbed_calls }
 
       it 'supports array params in params' do
-        conn.get('http://example.com', color: %w[red blue])
+        conn.get('http://example.com', color: %w[blue red])
       end
 
       context 'with array param in url' do
-        let(:url) { 'http://example.com?color[]=red&color[]=blue' }
+        let(:url) { 'http://example.com?color[]=blue&color[]=red' }
 
         it do
           conn.get('/')