Key updates in Ethereum discussed by core developers in latest call 😊

Insights from Ethereum Developers

On July 18, 2024, Ethereum protocol developers gathered virtually for the All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) Call #192. Led by Ethereum Foundation (EF) Protocol Support Lead Tim Beiko, the bi-weekly meeting aimed to discuss and coordinate changes to Ethereum’s execution layer (EL), as reported by Galaxy.com.

Debate on Ethereum Object Format and EIP 7702

This week, developers engaged in a detailed discussion about incorporating Ethereum Virtual Machine Object Format (EOF) into the upcoming Pectra upgrade. Geth developer Marius van der Wijden raised concerns about the complexity and risks associated with the EOF code changes. Despite the extensive debate, final decisions on EOF and proposed EIP 7702 changes were not made.

Tim Beiko highlighted three additions to Pectra that developers need to review in the upcoming weeks.
No updates on EIP 4444 were provided during the call.

Updates on Pectra Devnet 1

EF Developers Operations team member pk910 shared updates on Pectra Devnet 1. Since the launch of Devnet 0 in May, client teams encountered various challenges in preparing new implementations. However, all client teams are now prepared, with most testing issues resolved. Prysm and Erigon teams are still working on fixes, aiming to launch Devnet 1 on July 25 with all clients.

Concerns Surrounding EOF

EOF comprises code changes to enhance smart contract code execution functionality. Despite its potential advantages, van der Wijden expressed strong opposition due to implementation risks. On the contrary, EF Solidity team member Daniel Kirchner supported EOF as a “superior design” crucial for Layer 2 rollups (L2s).

Debate extended to Ethereum’s role in a rollup-centric future.
Tim Beiko suggested proceeding with EOF in Pectra, with the option to reconsider based on safety concerns closer to the fork’s release.

Proposed Changes to EIP 7702

Frontier Tech’s Ankit Chiplunkar proposed changes to EIP 7702 at the WalletConnect conference. These changes aimed to broaden the use cases for EIP 7702 and enhance its security. However, some developers, including Julian Rachman from Otim Labs and Elias Tazartes from Kakarot zkEVM, opposed the changes, citing unnecessary complexity.

Developers could not reach a consensus on the proposed changes.
Beiko suggested continuing the discussion asynchronously on Discord for further testing and discussion.

Additions to Pectra

Due to time constraints, remaining agenda topics were recommended for asynchronous discussion. Lightclient proposed deploying system contracts with an event log for future Pectra devnets. Beiko mentioned EIP 7742 and RIP 7212 as potential additions to Pectra, emphasizing the priority of shipping Pectra Devnet 1 first.