Ethereum Devs Discuss Dencun Upgrade and EVM Object Format

On October 12, Ethereum developers convened over Zoom for the All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) Call #172, led by the Ethereum Foundation’s Protocol Support Lead, Tim Beiko. These bi-weekly discussions focus on the execution layer (EL) enhancements of Ethereum. The focal points of this session were the Dencun upgrade testing and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) Object Format development.

Dencun Testing Progress

Barnabas Busa, an Ethereum Foundation DevOps Engineer, unveiled several updates concerning Devnet #9, launched on September 29. This devnet boasts a 93% participation rate, implying a substantial consensus among validators. The remaining 7% of non-operational validators primarily include Geth (EL)/Teku (CL) validator nodes. Additionally, there are identified issues with the Erigon (EL)/Prysm (CL) and EthereumJS (EL) client combinations.

The Flashbots team is presently examining an MEV-Boost relay and builder on Devnet #9, with Busa urging more relay and builder operators to get involved for broader MEV infrastructure testing on this devnet. However, blob transactions testing through MEV-Boost builders remains on hold as blobs are either being dropped due to invalidity or other unidentified reasons.

Looking ahead, Devnet #10's launch is postponed to the following week, with an anticipated testing of the trusted setup file from the EIP 4844 KZG ceremony and a large validator set comprising 330,000 active validators. Yet, the launch of Devnet #10 awaits the resolution of "big questions" surrounding Dencun testing, as shared by Parithosh Jayanthi from the Ethereum Foundation.

EVM Object Format (EOF) Development

The session transitioned to the development of the EVM Object Format (EOF), a bundle of EIPs targeting EVM modifications to distinctly separate code from data and introduce new opcodes. Danno Ferrin, one of the EOF champions, delineated the EOF's objective to enhance smart contract development efficiency and code security. He presented a comprehensive list of EIPs forming the EOF proposal, emphasizing the goal to have EOF as a core code change in the post-Cancun/Deneb upgrade, dubbed Prague/Electra.

However, the EOF initiative sparked debates among the developers, particularly concerning its timing post the Dencun upgrade, its urgency in comparison to the Verkle upgrade, and the direct benefits versus the complexity it introduces. Notably, some developers underscored the increase in protocol complexity and the potential backwards-compatibility issues with legacy smart contracts that EOF might present.

Furthermore, the discussion delved into EVM governance in the context of an expanding Layer-2 ecosystem and the implications of EOF on it. The discourse also touched upon the growing concern of historical chain data growth, with Lukasz Rozmej suggesting a revisit to code changes like EIP 4444.

The conversation regarding EOF, Verkle, and the upcoming Prague/Electra upgrade is set to continue at Devconnect, with a dedicated call for EVM-like Layer-2 protocols and an EOF Implementor's Call scheduled for October 18.