Ethereum has launched the Hoodi testnet on March 17 as part of the preparation for the upcoming Pectra upgrade. This is a step towards final testing of the new network features.
Purpose and Features of Hoodi
Hoodi serves as a 'long-lived' testnet, mimicking the Ethereum mainnet with approximately 1 million validators and 20 million test-staked ETH. The primary focus is on testing validator exits, while other Pectra aspects continue to be evaluated on Holesky and Sepolia.
Key Changes in the Pectra Upgrade
The Pectra upgrade includes significant changes such as account abstraction (EIP-7702), staking enhancements (EIP-7251), increasing the staking limit from 32 to 2048 ETH, along with further improvements in transaction scalability and privacy.
Ethereum Testnet Sequence
Ethereum first introduced the Mekong testnet in November 2024. The sequential deployments of Mekong, Holesky, Sepolia, and now Hoodi illustrate a methodical approach to network stability before implementing mainnet upgrades.
The launch of Hoodi and continued development of other testnets demonstrate Ethereum's commitment to network stability and security before deploying upgrades.
