- The Sepolia testnet will endure 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 shopper prior to dam 1735371.
- An identical improve is anticipated on Goerli and the Ethereum mainnet as soon as these networks have transitioned to proof-of-stake
Background
In order to keep up a wholesome peer listing, nodes on Ethereum’s execution layer will routinely disconnect friends who would not 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 way in which to the newest improve, Gray 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 doable as a result of the improve was triggered utilizing a complete problem worth somewhat than a block quantity. The rationale for this selection is defined in EIP-3675:
Using a pre-defined block quantity for the hardfork is unsafe on this context because of the PoS fork selection taking precedence in the course of the transition.
An attacker could use a minority of hash energy to construct a malicious chain fork that will fulfill the block top requirement. Then the primary PoS block could also be maliciously proposed on high of the PoW block from this adversarial fork, turning into the pinnacle and subverting the safety of the transition.
To defend the community from this assault situation, problem accrued by the chain (complete problem) is used to set off the improve.
To decrease adjustments to the protocol throughout its most advanced improve since launch, the design for The Merge excluded EIP-2124 compatibility. This means a further improve should now be carried out so as to add this. It is vital to 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 via The Merge. No different performance is launched or deprecated as a part of this improve.
Upgrade Information
Timing
This improve will occur on Sepolia at block 1735371, anticipated on August 17, 2022.
Note {that a} related improve might 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.
Client Releases
Only execution layer shoppers must be up to date for this improve. Node operators can hold working their present consensus layer shopper launch on Sepolia via the transition.
Note that shopper releases used for the Goerli/Prater merge all help this improve on Sepolia. In different phrases, if you happen to already downloaded a launch for the Goerli/Prater merge, you should utilize that very same model on Sepolia for this improve.
Execution Layer
Upgrade Specifications
The specification for this alteration is tracked as a part of the Paris specs, underneath the FORK NEXT Upgrade part.
FAQ
As a node operator, what ought to I do?
You ought to improve your execution layer shopper to one of many variations listed above earlier than August 16, 2022. Your consensus layer shopper doesn’t must be upgraded.
As a staker, what do I have to do?
The validator set on Sepolia is permissioned. If you might be half of the present Sepolia validators, you could replace your execution layer shopper to one of many variations listed above on August 16, 2022 on the newest.
If you aren’t half of the present Sepolia validator set, you do not want to do something right now.
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, until you might be additionally working a node. If so, please improve your execution layer shopper 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 will not be affected by this improve. Even when this improve might be utilized to mainnet, there will not be any motion wanted.
Thank you to Justin Chrn for the unique cowl picture and Tomo Saito for the modifications.
