The community of Ethereum developers held its 119th Ethereum Core Developer Consensus Meeting (ACDC #119) where it discussed several issues about the future of the protocol with focus on Cancun/Deneb (Dencun) testing, Devnet-9, and the anticipated timing for the launch of Devnet-10.
Dencun
The Dencun upgrade is a major upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain that aims to enhance the network’s scalability, security, and usability. It is the next major hard fork of Ethereum after the Shapella upgrade in April 2023, named by combining the words “Deneb” and “Cancun,” which means two simultaneous upgrades will be involved.
The upgrade includes five Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) and is expected to significantly reduce gas fees and increase transaction throughput by utilizing data “blobs.”
It will bring various new features, including Proto-Danksharding, a transitional phase towards full Danksharding, which is expected to significantly reduce gas fees and increase transaction throughput by utilizing data “blobs.”
Devnet-9
Devnet-9 is a testnet for the Ethereum blockchain that includes a full set of code changes in the Dencun upgrade. Devnet-9 is the second testnet to feature the full suite of code changes going into the Cancun/Deneb (Dencun) upgrade.
It was initially planned to start on September 27, 2023, but it was slightly delayed, and it was launched on October 7, 2023. Devnet-9 is designed to test the Dencun upgrade, which initially aimed for a hard fork date in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Devnet-10
Devnet-10 is a testnet for the Ethereum blockchain designed to test the new maximum epoch churn limit outlined in EIP 7514. It is a developer-focused testnet discussed in Ethereum All Core Developers Consensus Calls.
The primary purpose of Devnet-10 is to test the new maximum epoch churn limit outlined in EIP 7514, which is a code change part of the Dencun upgrade.
– Devnet-10 is the tenth testnet for the Ethereum blockchain and is designed to test the readiness of Execution Layer (EL) and CL (Consensus Layer) client teams, including Lodestar, EthereumJS, Lighthouse, and Geth, for the Dencun upgrade.
More bugs on Devnet-9
During the meeting led by Ethereum Foundation Researcher Danny Ryan, discussions primarily focused on bugs found in Devnet-9, especially in execution layer (EL) clients like Reth, Besu, and Nethermind. Developers are also testing Miner Extractable Value (MEV) tools on Devnet-9 and exploring validator resilience scenarios.
There was also debate about launching Devnet-10 soon, depending on bug resolutions and stability in Devnet-9. While most bugs were in EL client software, there was consideration of launching Devnet-10 even if not all EL clients were ready.
Timing for the Devnet-10 launch was a key concern, given the upcoming Devconnect conference in mid-November. The aim was to finalize Devnet-10 by October 19, 2023, for a potential upgrade of the Goerli test network before Devconnect.
However, thorough testing, particularly regarding relay infrastructure and blob scenarios, was deemed necessary before proceeding confidently with testnet upgrades.
The 119th Ethereum Core Developer Consensus Meeting shed light on the complex and evolving landscape of Ethereum’s development. With the Cancun/Deneb upgrade, the Ethereum network’s complexity has increased, requiring extensive and meticulous testing.
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