- Retreats are coming! Shapella network upgrade will go live on Sepolia network in epoch 56832scheduled for 4:04:48 am UTC on February 28, 2023
- Stakers and node operators should read this post as well as the Withdrawal FAQ
- He Zhejiang test network can be used to test Shapella functionality before Sepolia upgrade
After months of testing and a short-lived devnet release, the Shanghai/Capella (also known as Shapella) network upgrade is now scheduled to roll out to Sepolia.
This update follows the fusion and allows validators to withdraw their stake from the Beacon Chain back to the execution layer. It also introduces new functionality in both the execution and consensus layers.
upgrade specification
The Shapella update combines changes to the execution layer (Shanghai), the consensus layer (Capella), and the engine API.
Carry off
Execution layer changes included in Shanghai are available here. For reference, they are:
Please note that EIP-6049 is just a deprecation warning. Customer teams expect SELF DESTRUCTION the semantics will change in future network updates, but the behavior of the opcode remains unchanged in Shanghai.
Also, changes can now be seen on the Ethereum Execution Layer Specification (EELS)which is a new Python reference implementation for the execution layer.
cappella
The changes to the consensus layer for the Capella update are specified in the a cappella directory of the Specifications v1.3.0-rc.3. At a high level, the update features:
- Total and partial withdrawals for validators
- BLSToExecutionChange messages, which allow validators using a BLS_WITHDRAWAL_PREFIX to update it to a ETH1_ADDRESS_WITHDRAWAL_PREFIXa prerequisite for withdrawals
- Independent state and block historical accumulators, replacing the original singular historical roots
Interested parties are encouraged to read the Withdrawal FAQ for more information on how they should prepare for Capella.
customer launches
The following client releases support Shanghai and Capella on the Ethereum mainnet. Please note that these releases are only for the Sepolia update. A later announcement will be made for the Goerli and mainnet releases.
When choosing which client to run, validators must especially consider the risks of running a majority client on both EL and CL. An explanation of these risks and their consequences can be found here. An estimate of the current distribution of EL and CL clients and guides for switching from one client to another can be found here.
Sepolia versions of the consensus layer
Sepolia launches from the execution layer
Frequently asked questions
As an Ethereum user or Ether holder, do I need to do anything?
In short, no.
If you use an exchange, digital wallet, or hardware wallet, you don’t need to do anything unless your exchange or wallet provider tells you to take additional steps.
If you run your own Ethereum node, see the “As a non-participating node operator, what do I do?” section below.
As a non-participating node operator, what should I do?
To support the Shapella upgrade on the Sepolia testnet, upgrade your node to the version of your Ethereum client shown in the table above.
As a staker, what should I do?
To support the Shapella upgrade on the Sepolia testnet, upgrade your node to the version of your Ethereum client shown in the table above.
We recommend reading the Withdrawal FAQ. Also, you can try things on the ephemeral. Zhejiang test network before activation of the update in Sepolia.
What happens if I am a staker or node operator and I do not participate in the update?
If you are using an Ethereum client that is not updated to the latest version (mentioned above), your client will sync with the pre-fork blockchain once the update occurs.
You will be stuck on an incompatible chain following the above rules and will not be able to send Ether or operate on the post-Shapella Sepolia network.
As an application or tool developer, what should I do?
Shapella does not introduce any major changes for smart contracts. App and tool developers should review update changes to ensure that fixes are made or to understand how to use newly introduced functionality.
Why “Shapela”?
Execution layer updates follow Devcon city names and consensus layer updates follow star names. “Shapella” is the combination of Shanghai, the location of Devcon 2, and Capella, the brightest star in the northern constellation of Auriga.
Cover image by Yiran Ding
