Ethereum’s ACDC Call #144: Insights on EIP 7742 and Pectra Upgrade

On October 17, 2024, Ethereum developers gathered via Zoom for the 144th session of the All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call, as reported by galaxy.com. The meeting was chaired by Ethereum Foundation Researcher Alex Stokes, focusing on critical upgrades and proposals, particularly the integration of EIP 7742 in the Pectra update.

Pectra Upgrade and EIP 7742 Discourse

Developers reached an agreement to integrate EIP 7742 as part of the Pectra upgrade. This initiative aims to facilitate dynamic modifications to the network’s blob gas limits, which could enhance both target and maximum capacities. Nonetheless, concerns were expressed regarding possible delays in the implementation of other Pectra modifications on the mainnet due to the incorporation of additional EIPs.

Further conversations focused on the testing of Pectra and PeerDAS development networks. Barnabas Busa, EF Developer Operations Engineer, announced plans to conclude Pectra Devnet 3, citing unresolved challenges with the Grandine client. The launch of Pectra Devnet 4 is dependent on successful local testing of execution layer clients.

Updates on Code Specifications

Crucial specifications for the Pectra upgrade were examined, including proposals such as Consensus Specs PR#3900 and PR#3767. Developers resolved not to adopt intricate changes due to potential implementation issues. The significance of revisiting a bug fix for EIP 7251 was emphasized, along with discussions regarding the incorporation of SSZ support into the builder API.

Teku developer Mikhail Kalinin highlighted possible breaking changes within Pectra that could impact application developers, advocating for a thorough evaluation of these effects.

PeerDAS and Solutions for Scaling

The discussion also encompassed PeerDAS specifications, focusing on aligning them with Pectra standards to improve debugging and testing methodologies. Dialogue surrounding the new Engine API specification, “engine_getBlobsV1,” indicated its potential to enhance blob transaction processing, albeit at the cost of increasing node upload bandwidth.

Francis Li from Layer-2 rollup Base underscored the necessity for increased blob capacity within Pectra, suggesting specific adjustments to gas targets. This was connected to the wider implementation of EIP 7742, facilitating dynamic setting modifications.

Future EIPs and Conference Arrangements

New proposals, EIP 7782 and 7783, were discussed as alternative approaches to scaling. Concerns emerged regarding the potential effects of these proposals on network bandwidth and ongoing research projects. The upcoming ACDC call scheduled for November 14 was canceled in light of the forthcoming Devcon conference in Bangkok, where many developers are expected to participate.

This ACDC call exemplified the collective endeavors of Ethereum developers to enhance network efficiency and scalability through intentional upgrades and proposals.

Image source: Shutterstock