Ethereum Developers Discuss Pectra Devnet and Future Upgrades in Consensus Call

Ethereum’s All Core Developers Consensus Call #145, held on October 31, 2024, featured a comprehensive review of ongoing projects and future plans for the blockchain’s development. The biweekly meeting, chaired by Ethereum Foundation Researcher Alex Stokes, serves as a platform for developers to discuss and align on changes to Ethereum’s consensus layer, known as the Beacon Chain.

Pectra Devnet 4 Updates

During the call, updates on the Pectra Devnet 4 were shared by EF DevOps Engineer Barnabas Busa. He noted that the devnet had no major issues, with all client teams able to propose blocks successfully. A public testnet, named Mekong, was launched based on Pectra Devnet 4 specifications, featuring 110 nodes and around 100,000 active validators. Mekong is expected to run for several months, providing a testing ground for new network features.

Pectra Devnet 5 Preparations

Developers also discussed preparations for Pectra Devnet 5. Several pull requests (PRs) were highlighted, including PR #3900, which introduces a new attestation type, and PR #3767, which implements a rate limiting recommendation for data requests. These changes are set to simplify processes and enhance compatibility. Further PRs are being developed to refine execution layer requests on the consensus layer.

PeerDAS Devnet Updates

The shutdown of PeerDAS Devnet 3 was confirmed, following a significant network reorganization. The Prysm team is investigating the incident, and future PeerDAS devnets are on hold until after the upcoming Ethereum developer conference, Devcon. Discussions continue on whether PeerDAS should be included as part of the Fusaka upgrade or as a standalone Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP).

New EIP: Withdrawal Credential Update

A new EIP, proposed by Lucas Saldanha of Consensys, aims to allow validators to update their withdrawal credentials without exiting. This proposal, EIP 7800, introduces a new execution request type, ‘0x03’, enabling credential updates via smart contracts. Although not included in the current Pectra upgrade, it is a candidate for future consideration.

The next ACDC call is set for November 14 but will be canceled due to the Devcon conference, with many developers attending.

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