The Dencun community improve has efficiently activated on all testnets. It’s now set for deployment on the Ethereum mainnet and can activate on the community at epoch 269568, occuring on March 13, 2024 at 13:55 UTC.
The improve, which follows final 12 months’s Shapella improve, consists of a number of modifications, most notably the introduction of ephemeral knowledge blobs with EIP-4844, also referred to as “protodanksharding”, which is able to assist scale back L2 transaction charges.
If you would like to comply with the improve because it occurs, please be a part of the neighborhood livestream.
Improve Specification
The Dencun improve combines modifications to each Ethereum’s consensus and execution layers. The complete listing of protocol modifications will be present in EIP-7569. For reference, they’re:
Deneb
Full python specs for modifications affecting Ethereum’s consensus layer will be discovered within the deneb folder of the ethereum/consensus-specs repository.
Cancun
The EIPs linked above comprise the complete specs for modifications affecting Ethereum’s execution layer.
Moreover, a python specification for these is being applied within the ethereum/execution-specs repository.
Lastly, Deneb requires modifications to the Engine API, used for communication between the consensus and execution layer nodes. These are specified within the cancun.md file of the ethereum/execution-apis repository.
Consumer Releases
The next shopper releases help Dencun on the Ethereum mainnet.
When selecting which shopper to run, validators needs to be particularly aware of the dangers of operating a majority shopper on both the execution layer (EL) or consensus layer (CL). An explainer of those dangers and their penalties will be discovered right here. An estimate of present EL and CL shopper distribution and guides for switching from one shopper to a different will be discovered right here.
Consensus Layer Mainnet Releases
Word: when operating a validator, each the Consensus Layer Beacon Node and Validator Consumer have to be up to date.
Execution Layer Mainnet Releases
Notes:
Whereas Reth helps Dencun, the shopper is present process a full audit and isn’t but really useful for manufacturing use. See the Reth README for extra context.Whereas Geth v1.13.13 absolutely helps Dencun, v1.13.14 accommodates efficiency enhancements to the transaction pool’s dealing with of blob transactions and is thus really useful.
FAQ
As an Ethereum person or Ether holder, is there something I have to do?
In brief, no. You’ll be able to be a part of us on the livestream to observe all of it occur reside!
When you use an alternate, digital pockets or {hardware} pockets you don’t want to do something until you’re knowledgeable to take further steps by your alternate or pockets supplier.
When you run your individual Ethereum node, see the following query.
As a non-staking node operator, what do I have to do?
To be appropriate with the mainnet Dencun improve, replace your node’s execution and consensus layer shoppers to the variations listed within the desk above.
As a staker, what do I have to do?
To be appropriate with the mainnet Dencun improve, replace your node’s execution and consensus layer shoppers to the variations listed within the desk above. Ensure that each your beacon node and validator shopper are up to date.
Moreover, stakers who need to run by means of the improve course of extra occasions earlier than mainnet are inspired to make use of ephemery.dev, which now helps Dencun.
What occurs if I’m a staker or node operator and I don’t take part within the improve?
If you’re utilizing an Ethereum shopper that’s not up to date to the newest model (listed above), your shopper will sync to the pre-fork blockchain as soon as the improve happens.
You can be caught on an incompatible chain following the outdated guidelines and can be unable to ship Ether or function on the post-Dencun Ethereum community.
As an utility or tooling developer, what ought to I do?
Evaluate the EIPs included in Dencun to find out if and the way they have an effect on your undertaking — there are numerous new thrilling options being launched throughout each the execution and consensus layers! The one EIPs with backwards compatibility implications are EIP-6780, EIP-7044 and EIP-7514.
Why “Dencun”?
Upgrades to the consensus layer use star names, and people to the execution layer comply with Devcon metropolis names. “Dencun” is the mixture of Deneb, a first-magnitude star within the Cygnus constellation, and Cancun, the placement for Devcon 3.
Thanks to everybody who helped deliver the blobs into existence, (almost) rid us of SELFDESTRUCT and customarily ship another main overhaul to the Ethereum community .oO!
Authentic cowl picture by Darren Lawrence, with modifications by Tomo Saito.
