EIP-4844: Proto-Dank Sharding
Ethereum Improvement Proposal 4844 (EIP-4844), also known as Proto-Danksharding, aims to scale Ethereum’s L2 structure and enable rollups to utilize a new fee market for embedded data. This proposal, authored by Dankrad Feist and Diederik Loerakker, serves as a temporary solution to scale Ethereum while the sharding strategy is being implemented. The changes in EIP-4844 are compatible with future sharding solutions, allowing for a seamless transition when ready.
Key Points:
- EIP-4844 introduces the concept of “blob-carrying transactions,” which contain additional data not accessible by the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
- These transactions allow for more data to be added to each transaction, with up to ~0.75 MB added per block, and come with cheaper fees compared to standard Ethereum transactions.
- Blobs can be pruned after two weeks, striking a balance between ensuring accessibility for all actors of an L2 and managing disk usage.
- Blob transactions have their own gas market and are priced independently from other transactions, known as “blob gas.”
- Implementing Proto-Danksharding would further reduce transaction fees for rollups, such as Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base, by utilizing lower fees on the Ethereum blockchain.
Hot Take: EIP-4844 offers a promising solution to scale Ethereum’s L2 structure and reduce transaction fees for rollups. By introducing blob-carrying transactions and a separate gas market, the proposal addresses scalability concerns while ensuring affordable fees. This development is crucial for Ethereum’s growth and adoption, making it more accessible to users and encouraging the utilization of rollups.