• The Sepolia testnet will endure a post-merge execution layer (EL) improve at block 1735371, anticipated on August 17, 2022
• The improve will trigger EL shoppers on the community to disconnect from friends which haven’t transitioned to proof-of-stake. It doesn’t add extra performance past this.
• Sepolia node operators should improve their execution layer shopper prior to dam 1735371.
• The same improve is predicted on Goerli and the Ethereum mainnet as soon as these networks have transitioned to proof-of-stake

Background

With a purpose to keep a wholesome peer listing, nodes on Ethereum’s execution layer will mechanically disconnect friends who shouldn’t have the identical improve sequence as them. On the Ethereum mainnet, this implies checking whether or not a peer upgrded to Frontier Thawing at block 200,000, then Homestead at block 1,150,000, and so forth all the best way to the newest improve, Grey Glacier, which occurred at block 15,050,000. EIP-2124 specifies how that is dealt with. In typical community upgrades, that are triggered by a block peak, this occurs mechanically as nodes use the block peak of upcomming upgrades to filter friends.

For The Merge, this was not doable as a result of the improve was triggered utilizing a complete issue worth fairly than a block quantity. The rationale for this alternative is defined in EIP-3675:

Utilizing a pre-defined block quantity for the hardfork is unsafe on this context as a result of PoS fork alternative taking precedence throughout the transition.

An attacker could use a minority of hash energy to construct a malicious chain fork that might fulfill the block peak requirement. Then the primary PoS block could also be maliciously proposed on prime of the PoW block from this adversarial fork, changing into the top and subverting the safety of the transition.

To guard the community from this assault situation, issue gathered by the chain (complete issue) is used to set off the improve.

To reduce modifications to the protocol throughout its most complicated improve since launch, the design for The Merge excluded EIP-2124 compatibility. This implies an extra improve should now be finished so as to add this. It is very important observe that the one change launched as a part of this improve is specifying a block quantity that nodes can use to determine friends who’ve gone by The Merge. No different performance is launched or deprecated as a part of this improve.

Improve Info

Timing

This improve will occur on Sepolia at block 1735371, anticipated on August 17, 2022.

Observe {that a} related improve will likely be introduced for Goerli and mainnet after these networks have transitioned to proof-of-stake.

Ropsten will not be upgraded since it’s now thought of deprecated, together with Rinkeby and Kiln. See this submit for extra particulars on their deprecation schedule.

Consumer Releases

Solely execution layer shoppers should be up to date for this improve. Node operators can hold working their present consensus layer shopper launch on Sepolia by the transition.

Observe that shopper releases used for the Goerli/Prater merge all help this improve on Sepolia. In different phrases, in case you already downloaded a launch for the Goerli/Prater merge, you should utilize that very same model on Sepolia for this improve.

Execution Layer

Improve Specs

The specification for this modification is tracked as a part of the Paris specs, below the FORK NEXT Improve part.

FAQ

As a node operator, what ought to I do?

It is best to improve your execution layer shopper to one of many variations listed above earlier than August 16, 2022. Your consensus layer shopper doesn’t should be upgraded.

As a staker, what do I have to do?

The validator set on Sepolia is permissioned. If you’re half of the present Sepolia validators, you have to replace your execution layer shopper to one of many variations listed above on August 16, 2022 on the newest.

If you’re not half of the present Sepolia validator set, you don’t want to do something at the moment.

Goerli/Prater and mainnet validators might want to comply with the identical steps when this improve is introduced on these networks.

As an software or tooling developer, what ought to I do?

Nothing, except you’re additionally working a node. In that case, please improve your execution layer shopper to one of many variations listed above earlier than August 16, 2022.

As an Ethereum consumer or Ether holder, is there something I have to do?

No. The Ethereum mainnet will not be affected by this improve. Even when this improve will likely be utilized to mainnet, there will not be any motion wanted.

Thanks to Justin Chrn for the unique cowl picture and Tomo Saito for the modifications.