Ethereum developers have been working on an upgrade known as “Deneb-Cancun” or simply “DenCun.” Unfortunately, recent discussions among core developers suggest that this important upgrade might be delayed until early next year.
Dencun’s primary objective is to tackle scalability problems within the Ethereum network. It plans to achieve this by implementing a significant improvement proposal called EIP-4844.
The delay concerns were raised during a recent Ethereum consensus-layer meeting, where Tim Beiko, representing the Ethereum Foundation and chairing the meeting, expressed reservations about Dencun’s deployment on the mainnet. The core issue revolves around the fact that Dencun has not yet been introduced on public testnets like Goerli, Sepolia, and Holesky.
Beiko emphasized that if the developer team fails to launch Dencun on a public testnet before Devconnect, an Ethereum-focused developer conference scheduled for November 2023, the mainnet activation of Dencun might have to be pushed into the next year. This would mark a significant departure from the earlier projected timeline. He noted,
If we don’t launch a [public] testnet before DevConnect, it’s probably unlikely we can go live on the mainnet before the Christmas holidays.
The successful deployment of DenCun on the mainnet depends on various factors, including the readiness of the software code across Ethereum’s execution and consensus layers, as well as the readiness of multiple client teams. All of these elements must undergo testing on public testnets, a process that could be time-consuming.
Currently, the work on this crucial upgrade is still in the “devnet phase,” with only three months left in the year. During the meeting, core developers discussed a localized developer network, referred to as “Devnet 9,” which is set to test Dencun. This testing on Devnet 9 is expected to take place next week before transitioning to the crucial public testnet phase.
The Ethereum community and the broader cryptocurrency world will be closely watching the progress of the Dencun upgrade, as its successful implementation could have far-reaching implications for Ethereum’s scalability and performance. However, the potential delay serves as a reminder that even in the fast-paced world of crypto, thorough testing and readiness are paramount to ensure a smooth and secure upgrade.
Recently Ethereum Blockchain has put forward a revolutionary Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) that enhances the security of smart contracts on the platform. The proposed EIP, also referred to as “Onchain Representation for Audits” or ERC-7512, aims to establish a consistent structure for on-chain audit report representations.
