Summary
During the first All Core Devs Execution call of the year, Ethereum developers discussed the upcoming testnet deployments for the Dencun upgrade, with the Goerli deployment scheduled for January 17. Some participants expressed concerns about the tight timeline, but adjustments can be made if necessary. The Dencun upgrade aims to reduce transaction fees for Layer 2 rollups and improve data availability through the implementation of EIP-4844, also known as proto-danksharding. The meeting also highlighted the importance of prioritizing the introduction of Verkle Trees in the next upgrade, Pectra, which would make the network stateless and enhance decentralization. However, the development of Verkle Trees is expected to take more than 12 months, so Pectra is unlikely to go live in 2024.
Key Points
1. Pectra, the upcoming upgrade in Ethereum, aims to enhance decentralization by implementing statelessness through Verkle Trees. This will reduce the hardware requirements for validators and improve network security.
2. Testnet deployments for Dencun, a precursor to Pectra, have been scheduled, starting with Goerli on January 17, followed by Sepolia and Holesky on January 30 and February 7, respectively.
3. The introduction of Verkle Trees in Pectra is expected to take more than 12 months for development, potentially extending the timeline for the upgrade beyond 2024. However, it is considered crucial for achieving greater decentralization in the Ethereum network.