Research analyst Christine Kim reported that Ethereum developers are considering splitting the Pectra hard fork. This discussion took place during a developers' call on September 12th, where adding new Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) was also discussed.
Discussion on splitting the Pectra hard fork
Ethereum developers are now contemplating splitting the upcoming Pectra hard fork into two. Initially, this idea was put aside due to concerns it would delay the Verkle fork. The Pectra hard fork is expected to change Ethereum’s programming space by upgrading the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Christine Kim reported that developers suggested that if Pectra were to be split into two forks, the first fork could be shipped by February 2025. The first fork would include all EIPs on devnet 3, such as set externally owned accounts code for one transaction (7702), max effective balance (7251), Move committee index (7549), and supply validator deposits on chain (6110).
Developers' opinions on the hard fork
The main feature of the upcoming hard fork, EVM Object Format (EOF), sparks debates among developers. The EOF includes changes to the EVM that could potentially alter the developer environment. Some experts express concerns that this proposal could disrupt smart contracts and lead to unforeseen consequences. Core developer Marius Van Der Wijden noted that introducing a new EVM could significantly burden the network, leading to vulnerabilities and bugs. At the same time, developers like Parithosh Jayanthi are optimistic about the changes, believing they set the pace for future upgrades and illustrate the intention to improve the EVM.
Future plans
The second Pectra hard fork will include EVM Object Format (EOF) and PeerDas, as well as other contemplated EIPs, such as SSZ and increased blob count. The name for the second hard fork has not yet been discussed, and a final decision on the split will be made at the next all-core developers' call.
The final decision on splitting the Pectra hard fork will be made at the upcoming all-core developers' discussions. The issue sparks diverse opinions within the community, highlighting the significance of the impending changes to Ethereum.
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