Ethereum Dencun Upgrade Targets March 13 for Proto-Danksharding Debut on Mainnet

Key Takeaways:

• March 13 Set as D-Day: Ethereum developers target March 13 for the long-awaited Ethereum Dencun upgrade, introducing the groundbreaking “proto-danksharding” feature, marking a significant milestone since April 2023.
• Proto-Danksharding’s Role: The Ethereum Dencun upgrade, specifically known for its “proto-danksharding” feature, aims to reduce costs for transactions on layer-2 networks built atop Ethereum, enhancing data availability and streamlining the blockchain’s functionality.
• Seamless Test Deployment: Following successful integration on the Holesky testnet without any hiccups, Ethereum is gearing up for the mainnet deployment, triggered at slot 8626176, with the precise moment set for 13:55 UTC on March 13, pending developer confirmation via GitHub.
• Enhanced Blockchain Functionality: Proto-danksharding introduces “data blobs,” a novel storage category, enabling a new transaction class and improving data availability on Ethereum. This innovation is expected to benefit projects like Celestia, Avail, and EigenDA.
• Optimism Amid Delays: Despite a shift from the initial end-of-2023 target, Ethereum developers express optimism about the Dencun upgrade, viewing it as a crucial element in the blockchain’s roadmap, with future plans for the Prague/Electra hard fork and potential integration of “Verkle Trees” for efficient data storage.

Read More: Ethereum Price Prediction 2024

Ethereum developers have officially announced March 13 as the target date for the much-anticipated Ethereum Dencun upgrade, marking a significant milestone in the blockchain’s evolution since April 2023. The upgrade, highlighted for its groundbreaking “proto-danksharding” feature, aims to streamline layer-2 transactions and enhance data availability on Ethereum. After a successful deployment on the Holesky testnet, the final of three test networks, Ethereum is gearing up for substantial changes.

The decision to set the March 13 target date was communicated during the all-core developers consensus layer call 127, just a day after the seamless integration of the upgrade on the Holesky testnet. Parithosh Jayanthi, a devops engineer at the Ethereum Foundation, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “It’s great to see years worth of effort finally being scheduled for Ethereum mainnet.”

The Ethereum Dencun upgrade introduces “proto-danksharding,” a feature dedicated to reducing transaction costs on auxiliary layer-2 networks built atop Ethereum. The successful execution on the Holesky testnet without issues has paved the way for the mainnet deployment, set to occur at slot 8626176, estimated for 13:55 UTC on March 13. However, the date awaits developer ratification and confirmation via GitHub.

Proto-danksharding represents the initial phase of the broader “danksharding” technical feature aimed at scaling the Ethereum blockchain. This innovation introduces “data blobs,” a novel category for storing data, enabling a new transaction class known as “proto-danksharding.” Beyond cost reduction for transactions, this feature is poised to enhance the availability of data on Ethereum, benefiting projects like Celestia, Avail, and EigenDA.

Despite the delay from the original end-of-2023 target, Ethereum developers are optimistic about the Ethereum Dencun upgrade, viewing it as a crucial element of the blockchain’s roadmap. The upcoming Prague/Electra hard fork is already on their agenda, potentially incorporating “Verkle Trees,” a new data structure designed to facilitate efficient storage of large data amounts without compromising the ability to validate blocks.

Thus, Ethereum Dencun upgrade, with the groundbreaking proto-danksharding feature, is scheduled for activation on March 13, marking a pivotal moment in Ethereum’s evolution and setting the stage for a new era of improved scalability and functionality. The successful test deployments, including on the Goerli, Sepolia, and Holesky testnets, indicate the careful preparation undertaken to ensure a seamless transition to the main network.

Additional Read: Will Ethereum Price Reach $10,000 in 2024?

Source: CoinDesk