- The Sepolia testnet will bear an execution layer (EL) improve after the block merge 1735371anticipated on August 17, 2022
- The improve will trigger EL purchasers on the community to disconnect from friends that haven’t switched to proof-of-stake. It doesn’t add any extra capabilities aside from this.
- Sepolia node operators should improve their execution layer consumer earlier than blocking 1735371.
- An identical improve is predicted on Goerli and the Ethereum mainnet as soon as these networks transition to proof-of-stake
Background
In an effort to preserve a wholesome checklist of friends, nodes on Ethereum’s execution layer will robotically exclude friends that would not have the identical improve order as them. On the Ethereum mainnet this implies checking if a peer has upgraded to Unfreezing the border within the block of 200,000, due to this fact Farm in block 1,150,000, and so forth till the final improve, Grey glacierwhich occurred in block 15,050,000. EIP-2124 states how it’s handled. In typical community upgrades, that are pushed by block peak, this occurs robotically as nodes use the block peak of incoming upgrades to filter friends.
For The Merge this was not attainable because the improve was triggered by a complete issue worth as a substitute of the block quantity. The rationale for this alternative is defined in EIP-3675:
Utilizing a predefined block quantity for a hardfork is just not secure on this context as a result of the PoS fork choice takes precedence through the transition.
An attacker can use a fraction of the hash energy to construct a malicious fork of the chain that will fulfill the block peak requirement. Then the primary PoS block could be maliciously proposed on high of the PoW block from this adversarial fork, turning into the grasp and breaking the safety of the transition.
To guard the community towards this assault state of affairs, the problem collected by the chain (complete issue) is used to set off the improve.
To reduce protocol modifications throughout its most complicated improve since launch, the design for The Merge excluded compatibility with the EIP-2124. Because of this an extra improve should now be carried out so as to add this. It is necessary to notice that the one change launched as a part of this improve is specifying the block quantity that nodes can use to determine friends which have gone by way of The Merge. No different performance has been launched or discontinued as a part of this improve.
Improve info
Time
This improve will occur on Sepolia within the block 1735371anticipated on August 17, 2022.
Observe {that a} related improve will likely be launched for Goerli and mainnet as soon as these networks transfer to proof-of-stake.
Ropsten will not be upgraded as it’s now thought of out of date, together with Rinkeby and Kiln. See this submit for extra particulars on their amortization schedule.
Shopper releases
Solely the execution layer purchasers should be up to date for this improve. Node operators can proceed to run their present consensus layer consumer launch on Sepolia through the transition.
Observe that consumer releases are used for Goerli/Prater connections all assist this improve to Sepolia. In different phrases, when you already downloaded the Goerli/Prater merge launch, you should use that very same model on Sepolia for this improve.
Government layer
Improve specs
The specification for this transformation follows as half Paris specs, sub FORK NEXT Improve part.
Questions
As a node operator, what ought to I do?
You need to improve your execution layer consumer to one of many variations listed above earlier than August 16, 2022. Your consensus layer consumer doesn’t should be upgraded.
As a stacker, what ought to I do?
Validator set to Sepoli is allowed. In case you are half of the present Sepolia validators, you could replace your execution layer consumer to one of many above variations no later than August 16, 2022.
In case you are not half of the present set of Sepolia validators, you do not want to do something right now.
Goerli/Prater and mainnet validators should observe the identical steps when this replace is launched on these networks.
As an software or instrument developer, what ought to I do?
Nothing, except you are additionally working node. If that’s the case, please improve your runtime consumer to one of many variations above earlier than August 16, 2022.
As an Ethereum person or Ether proprietor, do I have to do something?
Not. This improve doesn’t have an effect on the Ethereum mainnet. Even when this improve is utilized to the mainnet, no motion will likely be required.
Thanks too Justin Chrn for the unique cowl picture and Tomo Saito for the edits.
