- 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 further 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
As a way to keep a wholesome peer listing, nodes on Ethereum’s execution layer will mechanically 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 newest 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 peak, this occurs mechanically as nodes use the block peak of upcomming upgrades to filter friends.
For The Merge, this was not doable 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 throughout the transition.
An attacker could use a minority of hash energy to construct a malicious chain fork that may fulfill the block peak requirement. Then the primary PoS block could also be maliciously proposed on prime of the PoW block from this adversarial fork, turning into the top and subverting the safety of the transition.
To guard the community from this assault state of affairs, issue gathered by the chain (complete issue) is used to set off the improve.
To reduce modifications to the protocol throughout its most advanced improve since launch, the design for The Merge excluded EIP-2124 compatibility. This implies an extra improve should now be finished so as to add this. You will need to observe that the one change launched as a part of this improve is specifying a block quantity that nodes can use to determine friends who’ve gone via 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.
Word {that a} comparable improve can 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 of deprecated, together with Rinkeby and Kiln. See this submit for extra particulars on their deprecation schedule.
Shopper Releases
Solely execution layer shoppers must be up to date for this improve. Node operators can hold working their present consensus layer consumer launch on Sepolia via the transition.
Word that consumer releases used for the Goerli/Prater merge all assist this improve on Sepolia. In different phrases, when 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’s 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 must be upgraded.
As a staker, what do I must do?
The validator set on Sepolia is permissioned. If you’re half of the present Sepolia validators, you need to replace your execution layer consumer to one of many variations listed above on August 16, 2022 on the newest.
If you’re not half of the present Sepolia validator set, you don’t want to do something right now.
Goerli/Prater and mainnet validators might want to observe the identical steps when this improve is introduced on these networks.
As an software or tooling developer, what ought to I do?
Nothing, until you might be additionally working 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 must do?
No. The Ethereum mainnet will not be affected by this improve. Even when this improve can 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.
