The pace of Ethereum’s core development, a complex and often nuanced process, continues to evolve as the network gears up for its next significant upgrades. This "Checkpoint" series aims to provide a high-level overview of key developments, distilling the intricate discussions from All Core Developer calls into digestible updates. The previous installment, a comprehensive review of progress, can be found here.
Glamsterdam: Steady Progress Amidst Implementation Hurdles
The upcoming Ethereum upgrade, codenamed Glamsterdam, is experiencing a more deliberate pace than initially anticipated, largely due to the intricate nature of its core features. While progress is described as "slow but steady," several key components are demanding significant developer attention.
A primary focus for Glamsterdam is the implementation of enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS), a foundational shift in how blocks are proposed and built within the Ethereum consensus mechanism. ePBS aims to decouple the roles of block proposers and block builders, enhancing decentralization and potentially improving network efficiency. However, this architectural change introduces complexities in managing disagreements and failures between these newly separated parties. Developers are diligently working through how the protocol will handle these scenarios, requiring modifications across the entire network stack to account for "partial blocks" and two-party coordination.
On the execution layer, Block-level Access Lists (BALs), detailed in EIP-7928, represent a significant re-evaluation of how gas and state access are managed. This feature is considered fundamental to the successful implementation of ePBS and other efficiency improvements. Devnets dedicated to BALs are reportedly making predictable progress through these challenging implementation phases.
Beyond ePBS, other Glamsterdam features are also undergoing rigorous development. A suite of gas repricing proposals, largely being considered as a unified bundle, are a key aspect of the upgrade. These changes are designed to optimize gas costs and improve network throughput. Additionally, EIP-7954, which proposes an increase to the maximum contract size, has garnered significant constructive feedback from the ecosystem and is likely to be prioritized for inclusion.
The target for the first generalized Glamsterdam devnet is set for the coming week, contingent on the stabilization of the current ePBS devnet. Following this milestone, developers plan to iterate through several devnets, progressively integrating more of the non-headliner features. The path forward involves rigorous testing, client release cycles, comprehensive security reviews, and extensive testnet deployments before a mainnet fork date can be confidently announced.
Hegotá: FOCIL Takes Center Stage, Account Abstraction on the Horizon
The upgrade following Glamsterdam, known as Hegotá, has solidified its primary feature. FOCIL (EIP-7805) has been selected as the consensus layer headliner for Hegotá. This choice signals a clear direction for the consensus layer’s evolution in this next upgrade cycle.
The execution layer, however, saw a more protracted discussion surrounding Account Abstraction (AA). While there was strong interest in advancing AA, a lack of consensus on specific implementation details led to EIP-8141, the "Frame transactions" proposal, being moved to "Considered for Inclusion" (CFI) status as a non-headliner. This decision reflects a commitment to addressing Account Abstraction in Hegotá, albeit as a secondary feature, with the intention of fostering broader agreement among client developers and encouraging community participation.
A notable trend emerging is the growing interest in quantum resistance for future cryptographic primitives. While no standalone proposals have yet been formally introduced, it is understood that Account Abstraction proposals incorporating quantum resistance as part of a more comprehensive package are being considered.
The process for proposing non-headlining features for Hegotá will commence on April 9th. Interested parties can submit their proposals by adding their EIP to the "Proposed for Inclusion" section of the upgrade’s meta EIP (EIP-8081). A formal closing date for these submissions will be announced with at least two weeks’ notice. The Hegotá forkcast page on Forkcast remains the definitive source for the most current information regarding its process and timeline.
The eventual launch date of Hegotá is intrinsically linked to the progress and timeline of Glamsterdam. The successful deployment of Glamsterdam will lay the groundwork for the subsequent upgrade, making its timely completion crucial for the overall roadmap.
Enhancing Network Capacity: Gas Limit Increases Under Review
A persistent area of development across current and future upgrades is the increase of the gas limit. Continuous testing on devnets is underway with the objective of enabling significantly higher gas limits in both Glamsterdam and subsequent upgrades. The current target for the baseline gas limit stands at 60 million gas. However, extensive testing is being conducted at much higher limits to thoroughly understand the implications and identify necessary optimizations. The gas repricing work currently being integrated into Glamsterdam is expected to be a key enabler for these safe and substantial increases in the gas limit, potentially leading to more efficient transaction processing and increased network throughput.
Empowering EIP Champions: New Resources for Proposal Development
To facilitate the development and adoption of new features, the Protocol Support team has released updated resources aimed at assisting authors and advocates in championing their proposals and gathering crucial stakeholder feedback. The newly published EIP Champions Handbook is designed to guide individuals through the intricate process of getting their feature proposals integrated into future Ethereum upgrades. This initiative underscores the commitment to a more transparent and accessible development process for the Ethereum ecosystem.
Broader Implications and Future Outlook
While the rapid succession of upgrades following Fusaka, such as Pectra, initially generated excitement about accelerated development cycles, Glamsterdam’s implementation complexities have underscored the nuanced reality of core protocol enhancements. The challenges associated with ePBS and other foundational changes, though significant, do not appear to be deterring client developers, who are diligently addressing the technical hurdles.
The current outlook suggests that Glamsterdam’s mainnet launch in the second quarter might be ambitious. However, the singular headliner selected for Hegotá offers a potential pathway for faster iteration, particularly if the non-headliner selection process proves efficient. There remains a possibility that a strong consensus around an Account Abstraction proposal could elevate it to headliner status for Hegotá, reflecting its paramount importance to the Ethereum community.
The recent publication of the "strawmap" on strawmap.org has demonstrably reignited enthusiasm for a more formalized guideline to inform feature selection during the upgrade process. This unofficial roadmap appears to be serving as a beneficial tool in fostering community consensus on development priorities, providing a much-needed framework for aligning diverse interests within the Ethereum ecosystem.
Relevant All-Core-Developer Calls:
The following All-Core-Developer (ACD) calls have been instrumental in shaping the current development trajectory, spanning the period from January 21st to April 9th:
- ACDT (All-Core-Devs Teleconference): Calls 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, 68, 67. These discussions likely focused on detailed technical implementations, bug resolutions, and coordination among different client teams.
- ACDC (All-Core-Devs Consensus): Calls 176, 175, 174, 173. These calls are crucial for discussions and decisions related to the consensus layer, including the intricacies of ePBS and other consensus-critical features.
- ACDE (All-Core-Devs Execution): Calls 234, 233, 232, 231, 230, 229. These meetings are vital for addressing execution layer concerns, including gas mechanics, state management, and the evolution of smart contract capabilities.
The ongoing dialogue and collaborative efforts within these calls are the bedrock upon which Ethereum’s future upgrades are built, reflecting a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation within the decentralized landscape.
