Editor's Note
Regular readers of ECN's "Ethereum Weekly Roundup" may have noticed its temporary hiatus over the past month. Beyond COVID-related disruptions, ECN is reevaluating content strategies. Starting now, core developer meeting notes—previously embedded in the roundup—will be published as standalone updates. We welcome feedback via social media to enhance our content.
During the 152nd All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) call, pivotal decisions were made regarding Ethereum's Shanghai upgrade and EOF (EVM Object Format) implementation. Below are the key takeaways:
Shanghai Upgrade Progress
- The first developer-focused testnet launched pre-Christmas, with most client combinations operational (track progress here).
- EIP 3860 Adjustment: A minor revision to initcode gas metering will now trigger an "Out of Gas" error instead of a zero-address return, reducing implementation confusion.
- Timeline: Public testnets for Shanghai/Capella upgrades are slated for February 2023, with mainnet activation targeted for March.
EOF EIPs Removed from Shanghai
- Rationale: Developers prioritized staking withdrawals over EOF’s complexity, avoiding delays to Shanghai’s timeline.
- EOF v1 Challenges: Vitalik Buterin proposed disabling code introspection in EOF contracts to simplify future EVM upgrades (discussion thread).
- Postponement: EOF work will continue for potential inclusion in Cancun Upgrade alongside EIP-4844 (proto-danksharding).
Other EIP Discussions
Execution/Consensus Layer Serialization
- Proposal to align transaction root encoding formats between execution and consensus layers (PR #3078).
- Urgent for Shanghai due to withdrawals integration.
EIP-5988 (Poseidon Hash Precompile)
- Proposed by StarkWare to optimize ZK-proof efficiency.
- Security implications under review.
EIP-5843 (Modular Arithmetic Extensions)
- Deferred due to author absence.
FAQ Section
Q: Why was EOF removed from Shanghai?
A: To avoid delaying staking withdrawals—a top-priority feature for Ethereum’s liquidity and security.
Q: When will withdrawals go live?
A: Current targets: Public testnets in February, mainnet by March 2023.
Q: What’s next for EOF?
A: Further refinement for Cancun, potentially bundled with EIP-4844 for scalable rollups.
👉 Explore Ethereum’s latest upgrades
👉 Dive deeper into EOF’s future
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