The Ethereum Foundation’s Protocol cluster has officially published its comprehensive tier list for 62 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) under consideration for the upcoming Hegotḹ upgrade. This marks a significant milestone, representing the first unified view from the cluster, which comprises approximately 60 researchers and engineers, rather than a compilation of individual team opinions. The release offers a detailed roadmap of development priorities, categorizing proposals from "S" tier (must-ship) to "DFI" (declined with stated reasons), providing unprecedented transparency into the decision-making process that shapes the future of the Ethereum network.
The initiative, detailed in a companion post titled "EF Protocol: Current and Emerging Priorities," aims to align the development community around a clear set of objectives. The tier list serves as a crucial tool for stakeholders, including developers, validators, and users, to understand which proposed changes are most likely to be implemented and the rationale behind their prioritization.
The Rigorous Tiering Process: A Collaborative Endeavor
The methodology behind the Hegotḹ EIP tier list was designed for comprehensiveness and consensus-building. Nine distinct teams within the Protocol cluster, alongside several individual domain experts, contributed to the evaluation process. Each participant completed contribution templates, resulting in a total of 397 tier grades across the 62 EIPs. On average, each EIP received 6.4 grades, with the most debated proposals attracting up to nine individual assessments.
This extensive feedback loop was informed by lessons learned from previous development cycles, particularly during retrospectives held at "Glamsterdam." Key takeaways that shaped the evaluation criteria included the importance of sizing EIPs by their integration depth, the compounding nature of complexity, the scarcity of testing resources, and the tendency for champions to underestimate the effort required. To address contentious items, the cluster organized several group calls and a dedicated 90-minute working session. Further details on the procedural aspects were outlined in a post on August 28th.
The Scoring Mechanism: Quantifying Impact and Feasibility
The scoring system assigned numerical values to each tier: S (4 points), A (3 points), B (2 points), C (1 point), and D/DFI (0 points). Average scores were calculated based on cast grades, with abstentions having no bearing on a proposal’s assessment. The final published tier for each EIP represents a "steelsman" – a rigorously debated outcome that began with initial grades and evolved through EIP-by-EIP discussions during working sessions. Per-team grades are not publicly disclosed to maintain the focus on unified consensus.
The tiered scoring system establishes clear delivery expectations for the cluster:
- S Tier: Proposals designated as "S" are considered essential and have a firm commitment for inclusion in Hegotḹ. These are the "must-ship" items that form the core of the upgrade.
- A Tier: These proposals are highly prioritized and expected to ship, contingent on meeting specific, clearly defined requirements. The notes accompanying these EIPs detail the exact conditions that would solidify their inclusion.
- B Tier: Proposals in this tier are on the "bubble" and have a strong potential for inclusion. Their advancement depends on fulfilling specific requirements outlined in their respective notes, which aim to address remaining concerns or complexities.
- C Tier: These proposals have shown merit but face significant concerns or require further development. The notes for C-tier EIPs focus solely on these concerns, indicating the challenges that need to be overcome for them to move up.
- DFI (Declined with Stated Reasons): Proposals in this category are not slated for inclusion in Hegotḹ. The accompanying notes provide a concise explanation of the concerns that led to their declination.
The Hegotḹ Tier List: A Detailed Breakdown
The full, interactive tier list is available on Forkcast, providing a visual representation of the EIPs and their rankings. The following tables present a summarized view, sorted by tier and then by average score within each tier, along with the number of grades cast for each proposal.
Consensus Layer: Strengthening the Network’s Core
The consensus layer proposals focus on enhancing the security, efficiency, and decentralization of the Ethereum network’s core functionalities.
| EIP | Name | Tier | Avg (total) | Category | Notes
