Ethereum developers are announced to test Dencun on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets by the end of January. The Dencun upgrade is stated as the biggest upgrade on the Ethereum blockchain over the past year. Before it's implemented on the main blockchain, developers will conduct testing on the Sepolia and Holesky test networks.
The rehearsal for protocol changes will take place on January 30th for Sepolia and February 7th for Holesky. Then, the final launch on the Ethereum mainnet is estimated to take place in late February or early March, depending on the successful testing results on the test networks.
"More testnet blobs on the way. Dencun will activate on Sepolia Jan 30, and on Holesky Feb 7. If running a node on either network, now's the time to update it! Assuming both of these go smoothly, mainnet is next," said Ethereum developer timbeiko.eth on platform X (01/25/24).
The timeline was released after the Goerli testnet conducted last week. The implementation of Dencun on the Goerli testnet encountered some minor hiccups. The hiccup was a four-hour delay due to a bug that hindered the completion of the testnet upgrade. The bug was caused by synchronization issues with nodes in Prysm, Ethereum's proof-of-stake client.
Key Features on Dencun Upgrade:
Here's some key features on Dencun upgrade Ethereum that you should know:
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Proto-Danksharding (EIP-4844)
This features is the core of the Dencun upgrade. This feature introduces a new type of transaction, namely blob-carrying transactions, capable of handling large data packets. Blobs will be stored off-chain, allowing more data to be stored in each block and increasing network throughput. With this mechanism, transaction costs on layer 2 can be reduced.
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Opcodes EVM Baru (EIP-1153, EIP-5656)
The upgrade includes innovative EVM opcodes like transient storage and MCOPY for efficient memory copying. These features enhance the efficiency of complex transactions and improve data handling within smart contracts.
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Some Significant EIPs
Additional EIPs, such as EIP-7044 and EIP-7045, introduce changes in the validator exit process and inclusion of witnesses. EIP-7516 adds a new opcode for base fee blobs, aligning with the overall theme of efficiency and scalability.
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Enhanced Security and Functionality (EIP-4788, EIP-6780):
EIP-4788 introduces features into the EVM that strengthen cross-chain interactions and staking pool operations. On the other hand, EIP-6780 reforms opcodes by limiting their usage to enhance the security of smart contracts.
What is the Impact of the Dencun Upgrade on the Ethereum Network?
These are the expected impacts once the Dencun upgrade successfully reaches its final stage:
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Enhanced Scalability and Efficiency
The introduction of blobs and new storage opcodes is expected to significantly enhance Ethereum's scalability, enabling faster transaction processing and increased capacity. This will particularly benefit Layer 2 solutions built on Ethereum.
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Cost Efficiency
By optimizing data storage and transaction processing, the Dencun upgrade aims to reduce gas fees, making transactions more affordable. The Ethereum developers estimate that the cost of rollup will be 10 times lower due to the Dencun upgrade reaching the testnet.
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Security and Interoperability
This update makes Ethereum's security better and helps different blockchains work together more easily. It makes the whole network stronger.
Timeline of Dencun Upgrades, Save The Date!
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January 30: Final tests for the Dencun upgrade on the Sepolia testnet.
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February 7: Final tests for the Dencun upgrade on the Holesky testnet.
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End of February or Early March: Expected mainnet launch of the Dencun upgrade, marking a significant advancement in Ethereum's scalability and efficiency improvements.
Conclusion
The Ethereum Dencun upgrade will have a positive impact, especially in aspects such as scalability, efficiency, and security. This upgrade will strengthen Ethereum's position as a leading blockchain platform. Learn more about Dencun upgrades here.