Ethereum Developers Plan New Testnet 'Hoodi' Amid Pectra Upgrade Preparations

In a recent assembly of Ethereum protocol developers, the spotlight was on the introduction of a new testnet named 'Hoodi' as part of the preparations for the upcoming Pectra upgrade. The discussion took place during the All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) Call #207, chaired by Tim Beiko of the Ethereum Foundation. This bi-weekly meeting serves as a platform for developers to coordinate changes to Ethereum's execution layer, according to galaxy.com.

Launch of Hoodi Test Network

During the call on March 13, 2025, developers reached a consensus to launch Hoodi on March 17, with the Pectra upgrade scheduled for ten days later. Hoodi is designed to closely mimic the Ethereum mainnet, featuring a similar validator set and stake distribution. If the Pectra upgrade on Hoodi proceeds without major issues, a mainnet activation could follow as early as late April or early May.

Holesky Testnet Challenges

Parithosh Jayanthi, Ethereum Foundation Developer Operations Engineer, provided an update on the Holesky testnet, noting its recent finalization after a prolonged period of non-finality. Despite this progress, the exit queue's backlog remains an issue, with approximately one million validators awaiting processing — a task expected to take about 1.5 years due to existing churn limits. Jayanthi proposed several solutions, including creating Hoodi as a third testnet to address infrastructure providers' testing needs.

Pectra Mainnet Timeline

The Pectra upgrade is a significant milestone for Ethereum, and developers discussed the prerequisites for its mainnet deployment. EF Developer Operations Engineer Barnabas Busa emphasized the need for a successful deployment on Hoodi. Developers are also considering additional testing on large networks like Holesky to ensure validator participation and functionality before finalizing the mainnet upgrade.

Future of Ethereum Testnets

As Ethereum continues to evolve, the role of testnets like Hoodi and Holesky becomes increasingly crucial. Developers are contemplating shortening the lifespan of public Ethereum testnets from five years to three, aiming for more agile and responsive testing environments. This strategic shift is part of a broader plan to optimize developer resources and focus on upcoming forks and upgrades, such as PeerDAS, which promise significant advancements for the Ethereum network.