On January 16, 2025, Ethereum protocol developers convened virtually for the All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) Call #203, led by Tim Beiko from the Ethereum Foundation. This bi-weekly meeting serves as a crucial platform for developers to discuss and coordinate changes to Ethereum's execution layer, a fundamental aspect of the blockchain ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
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Launch of Pectra Devnet 5 with ongoing gas estimation issues.
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Updates on Pectra code specifications, including EIP 7623 and EIP 7840.
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Completion of third-party audits for Pectra's system contracts.
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Proposed timeline for testnet upgrades targeting February.
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Discussions on Holesky's gas limit and RPC standardization.
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Feedback sought on minimum node hardware and bandwidth requirements.
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Upcoming EIP Editors Workshop scheduled for January 17, 2025.
Pectra Devnet 5 Launch
The meeting kicked off with discussions surrounding the recently launched Pectra Devnet 5. Parithosh Jayanthi, an EF Developer Operations Engineer, reported issues related to gas estimation on the devnet. Developers plan to investigate these issues further on the Ethereum Research & Development Discord channel.
Pectra Specifications Updates
Developers reviewed updates to the Pectra code specifications, focusing on five key areas. Notable discussions included:
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EIP 7623: Addressing gas refund handling.
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EIP 7840: Adjustments to base fee fractions.
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EIP 7691: Clarification on excess gas calculations post-fork boundary using new fork rules, which have already been tested in clients.
System Contract Audit and Testnet Scheduling
Fredrik Svantes, an EF Protocol Security Researcher, announced the successful completion of third-party audits for Pectra's system contracts, with no significant findings reported. Tim Beiko proposed a timeline for upcoming testnet upgrades, targeting the Sepolia and Holesky testnets for February, with potential mainnet upgrades by mid-March, contingent on successful testnet performance.
Holesky Gas Limit and RPC Standardization
The developers also discussed setting Holesky's default gas limit to 36 million, ensuring it remains higher than Ethereum's mainnet for pre-testing gas limit increases. Geth developer Felix Lange raised concerns regarding the lack of feedback on Ethereum JSON-RPC standardization efforts, suggesting the need for further discussions and a dedicated breakout meeting to address these issues.
Specifying Node Requirements
Kevaundray Wedderburn from EF sought feedback on minimum node hardware and bandwidth requirements. The distinction between validating and full nodes was emphasized, with plans for further discussions to refine these specifications.
Upcoming EIP Editors Workshop
An EIP Editors Workshop, hosted by the Ethereum Cat Herders, is scheduled for January 17, 2025. This event aims to provide insights into the EIP editing process and encourage participation from the Ethereum community.
Sources
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Ethereum Developers Discuss Major Updates in ACDE Call #203, Blockchain News.
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Highlights of Ethereum's All Core Devs Meeting (ACDE) #203, Etherworld.co