Ethereum Developer Community Finalizes Scope of Cancun Upgrade, Bringing Exciting Enhancements to the Blockchain
The Ethereum developer community recently concluded a meeting where they defined the scope of the highly anticipated Cancun upgrade for the Ethereum blockchain. This upgrade aims to improve scalability, efficiency, and the overall user experience. Key highlights of the Cancun upgrade include the implementation of several Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), such as EIP 4844 (proto-danksharding), EIP 4788, EIP 6988, EIP 7044, EIP 7045, and the decision to cancel the 32 ETH cap for validators’ effective balance.
During the meeting, Alex Stokes suggested postponing discussions on EIP 6988 to focus on the final TM Deneb release, which the developers agreed to revisit later. They also discussed EIPs 7044, 7045, and 4788, focusing on code changes to enhance the staking user experience and chain security. Stokes encouraged client teams to review these EIPs for inclusion in Deneb.
The developers considered increasing the maximum blob count per block from 4 to 6 based on a recommendation from Ethereum Foundation researcher Dankrad Feist. This change will undergo testing on the next EIP 4844 test network, and a final decision will be made in two weeks. The meeting also addressed the four-second deadline for aggregating validator attestations and proposed changes to it, requiring further investigation for a concrete proposal.
Another proposal put forward was removing the 32 ETH cap on effective balances for validators, suggested by Ethereum Foundation Researcher Michael Neuder. The goal is to slow the growth of the active validator set, improve future roadmap upgrades, reduce bloat on the peer-to-peer layer, and empower independent validators.
The Cancun upgrade holds significant potential to impact the Ethereum ecosystem positively, paving the way for further growth and innovation. The developer community continues to collaborate and refine these proposals, aiming to enhance Ethereum’s capabilities and user experience.
