Ethereum Core Developers Reveal Insights On Pectra Upgrade, What’s In Store?

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As a seasoned researcher with years of experience in the Ethereum ecosystem, I find myself constantly amazed by the dedication and collaboration displayed during these ACDC calls. The ongoing Pectra upgrade is undoubtedly challenging, but it’s inspiring to see developers from various teams working together to iron out issues and move the network forward.

On the 8th of August, 2024, I joined the 139th All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call as a crypto investor with a keen interest in Ethereum. Led by Alex Stokes, an Ethereum Foundation researcher, this bi-weekly gathering focused on key advancements surrounding the ongoing Pectra upgrade. The conversation delved into network stability matters, future development networks, and essential enhancements planned for the Beacon Chain’s consensus layer.

Ethereum Pectra Devnet 2 Stability & Alpha Release

Researcher Hsiao Wei Wang from EF is about to unveil the alpha.4 version of Pectra’s consensus layer guidelines, including several improvements. As per Barnabas Busa, Developer Operations Engineer, Pectra Devnet 2 now boasts an impressive 85% network engagement, suggesting a robust and stable ecosystem. Nevertheless, issues persist in the execution layer clients, notably EthereumJS and Erigon.

Busa also mentioned a minor issue with the Prysm client that requires further investigation. Additionally, Parithosh Jayanthi, another Ethereum Foundation DevOps Engineer, noted a need for further investigation into issues affecting Lighthouse, Teku, and Besu node.

Communication & Coordination for Devnet 3

During the launch of Devnet 2, a communication gap was brought up by developer Kasey Kirkham who admitted not knowing about the network’s startup. To prevent similar occurrences, developers decided to initiate a weekly meeting series centered around Pectra testing developments. Consequently, these meetings will take place every Monday, lasting approximately 15-30 minutes each.

Furthermore, these gatherings are designed to ensure all client squads stay updated on devnet projects, particularly those concerning PeerDAS and EOF. As for Devnet 3, developers have verified that it will mirror the structure of Devnet 2, with the inclusion of the revised EIP 7702 layout.

In my role as a researcher, I’ve come across some challenges related to EIP 7251, MaxEB, during our work on Devnet 2. These issues are primarily centered around consolidating validator-staked ETH deposit balances. Although these issues have been addressed and rectified, they will undergo thorough testing in the upcoming development network phase for confirmation and assurance of their functionality.

Mplex Deprecation & New Protocol Transition

The conversation additionally touched upon the shift from using Mplex, an outdated data stream multiplexing protocol employed by CL clients, towards adopting yamux, a novel multiplexer. Phil Ngo from Lodestar stated that their client has successfully tested yamux and recommended moving entirely to yamux to eliminate the extra work of managing both protocols.

In the meantime, Etan Kissling of Nimbus shared that they are continuing to evaluate yamux. As a result, Ethereum developers plan to discuss the matter again once more client groups have finished their testing.

EIP 7688 & Pectra Upgrade Concerns

The discussion revolved around whether to incorporate EIP 7688 during the Pectra update. This proposal suggests a data structure for smart contracts that is adaptable for future use as the EL moves from RLP to SSZ. However, Stokes voiced concerns over including this EIP in Pectra, describing the upgrade as extensive enough already.

Jayanthi proposed that developers might look at EIP 7688 for testing as early as Devnet 5. Although teams from Lodestar, Prysm, Teku, and Lighthouse advocated for its integration, Stokes and Beiko suggested focusing on stabilizing current Pectra EIPs before introducing new ones. Kissling concurred and requested guidance on when to revisit the topic. Therefore, it’s expected that developers will reassess EIP 7688 around the time of Devnet 5 launch.

PeerDAS Implementation

In the latest discussion led by Prysm, they presented updates about the deployment of PeerDAS. This brought up a contentious topic regarding the “blobsidecar” Engine API request, with some questioning its necessity. Stokes proposed that these issues be tackled during the upcoming PeerDAS meeting.

Furthermore, there was a suggestion to eliminate sampling from PeerDAS during discussions. Simultaneously, they expressed worries about how this modification might add complexity to future enhancements. EIP 7742, which proposes separating the blob gas limit between the Execution Layer (EL) and the Consensus Layer (CL), was brought up. Developers agreed to revisit this matter during their next meeting.

Ethereum Node Distribution

As a seasoned blockchain developer with years of experience under my belt, I have come across numerous challenges and learned valuable lessons that have shaped my approach to problem-solving in this rapidly evolving field. In the recent discussion on research topics, one point that particularly caught my attention was edge cases in validator staked ETH balance consolidation under EIP 7251.

As a researcher delving into the intricacies of blockchain technology, I recently came across some fascinating insights from ProbeLab’s analysis on Ethereum node distribution. The findings indicate that out of 8,335 nodes, approximately 42% are operating using the Lighthouse client. Interestingly, a significant portion, about 36%, of these nodes are based in the United States.

As a crypto investor, I found myself in a meeting where the topic was the proposed changes to the execution payload structure by Prysm developer “Potuz.” He passionately urged developers like myself to carefully review his proposals. Moreover, he underlined the importance of making a decision swiftly, explaining that it would give us ample time to update the consensus layer specification accordingly.

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2024-08-09 11:49