Ethereum Developers Gather for Consensus Call #139
On August 8, 2024, you may have noticed that Ethereum (ETH) developers came together via Zoom for the bi-weekly All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call #139, as reported by galaxy.com. This meeting, led by Ethereum Foundation (EF) Researcher Alex Stokes, delved into various updates and alterations to the consensus layer (CL) of Ethereum, also known as the Beacon Chain.
Pectra Updates
During the meeting, EF Researcher Hsiao Wei Wang discussed preparations for the upcoming official release, alpha.4, of the Pectra CL specs, which will address several issues. EF Developer Operations Engineer Barnabas Busa mentioned that Pectra Devnet 2 achieved 85% network participation, despite a few glitches in execution layer (EL) clients like EthereumJS and Erigon. However, most CL clients remain stable. Talks also centered on the necessity for improved communication about the Devnet 3 launch, leading to plans for weekly testing update meetings.
- Reconfirmation that Pectra Devnet 3 will maintain the same set of EIPs as Devnet 2 but will introduce the updated EIP 7702 design.
- Lodestar developer Gajinder Singh raised concerns about issues with EIP 7251 on Devnet 2, requiring further testing.
- Introduction of a new Engine API specification, “getBlobsV1,” to retrieve blobs from the EL blob transaction mempool.
PeerDAS Updates
The Prysm client team provided insights into their PeerDAS implementation, leading to discussions about the necessity of the “blobsidecar” Engine API request. Formal specs for eliminating sampling from PeerDAS were drafted to simplify upgrades, though concerns were expressed regarding the potential challenges of reintroducing sampling in a future hard fork.
Research Updates
Three key research topics were addressed during the meeting. Issues surrounding the consolidation of staked ETH balances under EIP 7251 were examined, with recommendations to consider these edge cases in CL specs. Changes to Ethereum’s networking layer, particularly the inclusion of a “quic ENR entry,” were proposed for further elaboration in a GitHub pull request. Additionally, blockchain analytics firm ProbeLab shared data on Ethereum node distribution, highlighting 8,335 nodes, with 42% being Lighthouse client-operated and 36% controlled by U.S. users.
The session ended with a call from Prysm developer “Potuz” for developers to review his pull request on modifications to the execution payload structure, underscoring the necessity for a prompt decision due to the complexity of integrating these changes into CL specifications.
Hot Take: Stay Informed and Engage with Ethereum Updates!
Keeping abreast of the latest developments in Ethereum is vital for your engagement with the platform. The recent ACDC call #139 shed light on critical updates and research findings, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of developers to enhance Ethereum’s functionalities. By staying informed and actively participating in discussions like these, you contribute to the evolution and improvement of Ethereum, ensuring its continued success and relevance in the ever-changing crypto landscape.
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