Ethereum’s Deneb-Cancun Upgrade Could Face Delay to 2024
There is a possibility that Ethereum’s upcoming upgrade, known as Deneb-Cancun or “Dencun,” might be delayed until early next year. The purpose of this upgrade is to address scalability issues within the Ethereum ecosystem by implementing the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4844.
Concerns about Delay in Dencun’s Deployment
The launch plan for Dencun was discussed in a recent Ethereum consensus-layer meeting. Tim Beiko, who chaired the meeting, expressed concerns about a potential delay in deploying Dencun on the mainnet. This is because the upgrade has not yet been introduced on public testnets such as Goerli, Sepolia, and Holesky.
If the developer team fails to introduce Dencun on a public testnet before Devconnect, which is scheduled for November 2023, the mainnet activation might not happen this year. Beiko suggested that if there is no public testnet launch before DevConnect, the Dencun upgrade might only be realized in 2024.
Mainnet Deployment Depends on Readiness and Testing
The deployment of Dencun on the mainnet depends on various factors, including the readiness of software code and the preparedness of client teams. All these elements must be thoroughly tested on public testnets, which can take a significant amount of time.
The current progress of the upgrade is still in the “devnet phase,” with only three months left in the year. Core developers mentioned a localized developer network called “Devnet 9,” which will be used to test Dencun before transitioning to the public testnet phase.
What is Dencun?
Dencun is an upgrade that will bring changes to Ethereum’s execution and consensus layers. The execution layer, known as Cancun, focuses on smart contract execution, while the consensus layer, known as Deneb, centers around blockchain consensus through staking.
The most anticipated feature in the Dencun upgrade is the Ethereum Improvement Proposal 4844, also known as proto-danksharding. This proposal aims to enhance Ethereum’s scalability by providing temporary storage and retrieval of off-chain data for Ethereum nodes. It is expected to reduce transaction costs on Layer 2 rollup solutions like Optimism and Arbitrum.
Hot Take: Potential Delay Raises Concerns for Ethereum
The potential delay in the Dencun upgrade’s deployment raises concerns for the Ethereum community. Scalability issues have been a long-standing challenge for the network, and EIP-4844 offers a promising solution. However, without proper testing on public testnets, the mainnet activation might be postponed until 2024.
Ethereum developers need to prioritize introducing Dencun on public testnets before DevConnect to ensure a timely release. Otherwise, users may have to wait longer for improved scalability and reduced transaction costs on Layer 2 solutions. The success of the Dencun upgrade is crucial for Ethereum’s future growth and competitiveness in the blockchain industry.
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