Ethereum All Core Developers Consensus Call #128 outlines Electra upgrade, Dencun activation, reward adjustments, and light customer support improvements for March 13, 2024, driving network economics and continuous improvement.
At a meeting on February 22, 2024, Ethereum’s core developers spoke held their 128th All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call. The biweekly meeting, chaired by Danny Ryan, an Ethereum Foundation researcher, serves as a collaborative platform to discuss and plan the changes to the network’s consensus layer.
Electrical upgrade agendas
The focus of the meeting was the Electra upgrade, a joint effort to refine Ethereum’s infrastructure. Three Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) have been agreed upon for inclusion: EIP 6110, designed to offer on-chain validator deposits; EIP 7002, facilitates triggerable outputs at the execution layer; and EIP 7549, which aims to separate the commission index from attestations. The developers have also taken into account EIP 7547, related to inclusion lists, which can be included in the Electra upgrade if it meets the criteria for ease of implementation.
Imminent rollout of the Dencun upgrade
All Ethereum clients, with the exception of the Lodestar client, have rolled out their final versions in preparation for the Dencun upgrade. Ethereum Foundation DevOps engineer Parithosh Jayanthi reported the successful launch of the latest mainnet shadow fork for Dencun, indicating a stable transition. With the mainnet activation date announced as March 13, 2024, developers are confident of a smooth rollout, further supported by the Flashbots team’s planned release of a Dencun-ready MEV-Boost software update.
Debate on adjustment of the issuance curve
A proposal from EF researcher Ansgar Dietrichs was also presented at the meeting, calling for a 30% reduction in the issuance of strike awards. This recommendation comes amid concerns about the impact of the high stake ratio on network load, the dilution of ETH value, and the reliance on third-party protocols for security. Although the technical implementation of the proposal is simple, its implications warrant a thorough discussion within the community.
Improved Light Client compatibility
The call highlighted Etan Kissling’s proposal to update the execution layer serialization formats to Simple Serialize (SSZ), in line with the consensus layer and to strengthen the development of lightweight clients. This initiative is vital for nodes that operate with minimal computing resources, ensuring a more inclusive and efficient network.
Conclusion
The ACDC Call #128 marks a proactive approach to Ethereum development, with the Electra upgrade set to be a critical milestone. The discussions on issuance curve adjustments underline the community’s focus on sustainable and efficient network economics. As Ethereum continues to develop, these upgrades and proposals will improve its infrastructure and ensure its long-term viability as a leading blockchain platform.
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