The Pectra upgrade on the Holesky testnet did not finalize, prompting discussions and analysis among Ethereum developers.
Issues with Pectra Finalization on Holesky
On Monday, the Holesky testnet went live with the Pectra upgrade, however, it did not finalize as planned. Ethereum developers began speculating on the issue in the Eth R&D Discord channel. Such situations have happened before; the upgrade did not finalize on the Goerli testnet in January 2024 during testing of the Dencun upgrade.
Key Improvements in Pectra
Pectra is a hard fork that unites eleven significant improvements, known as Ethereum improvement proposals (EIPs). Central to this is EIP-7702, which aims to enhance the crypto wallet user experience. Another important proposal, EIP-7251, would raise the maximum staking amount from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH, facilitating the merging of validators.
Future Testing and Prospects
Holesky is one of the two testnets undergoing a Pectra simulation. The next test is anticipated on the Sepolia testnet on March 5th. Christine Kim, Galaxy's VP of research, noted that developers might decide to postpone it based on the severity of the current issue.
Issues with the finalization of the Pectra upgrade on the Holesky testnet might affect further testing plans. Developers continue to work on solving the current complexities to ensure a successful release.
