- The Sepolia testnet will bear a post-merge execution layer (EL) improve at block 1735371, anticipated on August 17, 2022
- The improve will trigger EL shoppers on the community to disconnect from friends which haven’t transitioned to proof-of-stake. It doesn’t add extra performance past this.
- Sepolia node operators should improve their execution layer consumer prior to dam 1735371.
- An analogous improve is predicted on Goerli and the Ethereum mainnet as soon as these networks have transitioned to proof-of-stake
Background
With a purpose to keep a wholesome peer checklist, nodes on Ethereum’s execution layer will routinely disconnect friends who don’t have the identical improve sequence as them. On the Ethereum mainnet, this implies checking whether or not a peer upgrded to Frontier Thawing at block 200,000, then Homestead at block 1,150,000, and so forth all the best way to the most recent improve, Grey Glacier, which occurred at block 15,050,000. EIP-2124 specifies how that is dealt with. In typical community upgrades, that are triggered by a block top, this occurs routinely as nodes use the block top of upcomming upgrades to filter friends.
For The Merge, this was not attainable as a result of the improve was triggered utilizing a complete issue worth moderately than a block quantity. The rationale for this selection is defined in EIP-3675:
Utilizing a pre-defined block quantity for the hardfork is unsafe on this context because of the PoS fork selection taking precedence through the transition.
An attacker might use a minority of hash energy to construct a malicious chain fork that might fulfill the block top requirement. Then the primary PoS block could also be maliciously proposed on prime of the PoW block from this adversarial fork, turning into the pinnacle and subverting the safety of the transition.
To guard the community from this assault state of affairs, issue accrued by the chain (complete issue) is used to set off the improve.
To reduce adjustments to the protocol throughout its most advanced improve since launch, the design for The Merge excluded EIP-2124 compatibility. This implies a further improve should now be achieved so as to add this. It is very important notice that the one change launched as a part of this improve is specifying a block quantity that nodes can use to establish friends who’ve gone by The Merge. No different performance is launched or deprecated as a part of this improve.
Improve Info
Timing
This improve will occur on Sepolia at block 1735371, anticipated on August 17, 2022.
Observe {that a} related improve will probably be introduced for Goerli and mainnet after these networks have transitioned to proof-of-stake.
Ropsten will not be upgraded since it’s now thought-about deprecated, together with Rinkeby and Kiln. See this publish for extra particulars on their deprecation schedule.
Consumer Releases
Solely execution layer shoppers have to be up to date for this improve. Node operators can hold operating their present consensus layer consumer launch on Sepolia by the transition.
Observe that consumer releases used for the Goerli/Prater merge all help this improve on Sepolia. In different phrases, in case you already downloaded a launch for the Goerli/Prater merge, you should use that very same model on Sepolia for this improve.
Execution Layer
Improve Specs
The specification for this modification is tracked as a part of the Paris specs, underneath the FORK NEXT Improve part.
FAQ
As a node operator, what ought to I do?
It is best to improve your execution layer consumer to one of many variations listed above earlier than August 16, 2022. Your consensus layer consumer doesn’t have to be upgraded.
As a staker, what do I have to do?
The validator set on Sepolia is permissioned. In case you are half of the present Sepolia validators, you should replace your execution layer consumer to one of many variations listed above on August 16, 2022 on the newest.
In case you are not half of the present Sepolia validator set, you do not want to do something at the moment.
Goerli/Prater and mainnet validators might want to comply with the identical steps when this improve is introduced on these networks.
As an utility or tooling developer, what ought to I do?
Nothing, except you’re additionally operating a node. In that case, please improve your execution layer consumer to one of many variations listed above earlier than August 16, 2022.
As an Ethereum consumer or Ether holder, is there something I have to do?
No. The Ethereum mainnet is just not affected by this improve. Even when this improve will probably be utilized to mainnet, there will not be any motion wanted.
Thanks to Justin Chrn for the unique cowl picture and Tomo Saito for the modifications.
