What is the Ethereum Prague-Electra (Pectra) upgrade?
Ethereum’s “Pectra” upgrade is a combination of two separate upgrades: “Prague” and “Electra”.
While the “Prague” upgrade focuses on changes within the main execution layer of the network, the “Electra” upgrade affects the consensus layer.
This joint upgrade, known as “Pectra,” follows the “Dencun” hard fork, which was successfully implemented in March 2024 and aimed to reduce transaction costs and improve Ethereum’s scalability. “Pectra” is planned to become a new key step in the development of Ethereum during the first quarter of 2025.
year, with the aim of further improving the user experience by introducing some new features.
Source: cointelegraph
Features and Benefits of Pectra Upgrade
The Pectra upgrade brings a number of minor but significant improvements to the consensus and execution layer of the Ethereum network.
One of the key changes is the introduction of EIP-7251, which increases the maximum stake for validators from the current 32 ETH to 2048 ETH.
This change allows staking providers to consolidate their roles into a smaller number of validators, which reduces the number of transactions that must be sent through the network, thereby reducing the pressure on the network’s communication layer and potentially improving its efficiency and performance.
In addition, the Pectra upgrade brings PeerDAS and improvements for rollups, which expand the possibilities of optimizing data storage in Ethereum layer-2 networks.
This includes the use of “blobs”, introduced through EIP-4844, to increase block space and reduce transaction costs.
Advancements in the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), such as EOF, will further enhance the user experience as well as the developer experience, improving performance on layer 1 and layer 2, making Ethereum more efficient and secure for all users.
Source: cointelegraph
What are EIPs (EIPs)? Ethereum Improvement Proposals?)
EIPs (Ethereum Improvement Proposals) are a key part of the development of the Ethereum network and how upgrades are implemented.
An EIP is a proposal or standard that describes potential new features, improvements, or processes for the Ethereum blockchain.
It contains technical specifications for proposed changes and, according to Ethereum.org, serves as a “source of truth” for the community.
Upgrades to the Ethereum network begin as proposals in the form of EIPs, which are then discussed and developed by the developer community.
Any member of the community can create an EIP, and the author of the proposal is responsible for reaching an agreement with the community and documenting any opposing opinions.
If the proposal is accepted, it is implemented in network upgrades, such as Dencun and Pectra, which consist of a series of EIPs that must be implemented by all Ethereum clients on the network.
Source: cointelegraph
Ethereum Development Plan
Ethereum’s development after switching to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism in September 2022.
It takes place through five phases: Merge, Surge, Verge, Purge and Splurge, according to the plan presented by Vitalik Buterin.
Following the Dencun upgrade in March 2024, the next step in this development trajectory is Pectra, which is scheduled for 2025.
year.
Although Pectra is considered a relatively minor upgrade, the Ethereum development team decided not to rush its release before Devcon in November 2024.
to enable more effective monitoring and evaluation of changes.
After the Pectra upgrade, the implementation of “Verkle trees”, a new data system that will allow Ethereum nodes to store large amounts of data with reduced hardware requirements, is expected.
This upgrade, planned for later in 2025, will be part of the “Verge” development phase and will bring significant changes to the efficiency and user experience of the Ethereum network.
Source: cointelegraph
Conclusion
Ethereum’s development continues according to a set five-stage plan, which aims to advance the network and improve the user experience.
The Pectra upgrade, scheduled for 2025, represents an important step in that process, bringing key improvements to the consensus and execution layer.
Although it is relatively smaller compared to upcoming changes such as Verkle trees, Pectra will allow you to optimize the staking process and improve the scalability of the network.
These upgrades continue Ethereum’s journey towards greater efficiency, security, and accessibility, preparing it for future challenges and user demands.
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