Ethereum is ending support for the Holesky testnet due to mass validator exits after issues with the Pectra upgrade.
Reasons for Discontinuing Holesky Support
The Ethereum Foundation announced that developer support for the Holesky testnet will be discontinued in September. This decision follows the mass exit of validators due to issues that arose during Pectra upgrade testing. Although the network has been restored, the process of removing all exited validators will take about a year, posing challenges for using Holesky in exit testing scenarios.
Testing Issues on Holesky
Developers are advised not to use Holesky for validator exit tests due to lengthy queue times. Instead, such tests will be conducted on the new Hoodi testnet, set to activate on March 26. However, until Holesky's support ends, developers can continue testing deposits and other Pectra features.
What’s Next for Ethereum
While the Holesky testnet will be sunsetted on September 30, it may be re-purposed for testing gas limit increases and other protocol tests. Previously, Ethereum sunsetted several testnets, including Kiln, Rinkebery, Ropsten, and Goerli.
The sunsetting of Holesky is a notable development, as it has been a major testnet for Ethereum upgrades for over two years. Focus now shifts to the new Hoodi testnet for future upgrade evaluations.
