<img src="https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ethereum-dencun.jpg” />
ethereum developers tentatively decided on January 17, 2024 on the first testnet deployment of the upcoming “Dencun” upgrade during the latest bi-weekly developer meeting on December 21.
Originally scheduled for the last quarter of 2023, the 'Dencun upgrade has been delayed until 2024 due to the engineering complexities involved.
Tim Beiko, protocol support lead at the ethereum Foundation, noted that the date is not set in stone and could change if major issues arise. The team intends to publish a blog post detailing the fork during the week of January 8, 2024, giving interested parties a week to prepare for the update.
Dencun Update Schedule
The meeting established a draft schedule for the testing phase of the Dencun upgrade.
After the Goerli testnet on January 17, 2024, the developers plan to run tests on other networks: Sepolia on January 31, 2024 and Holesky on February 7, 2024.
The developers aim to deploy the changes to the mainnet by the end of February 2024 if all goes well. However, these dates are subject to change based on the results of testnet forks.
Dencun will be ethereum's first major upgrade since 'Shapella' earlier this year, which was a major milestone in itself, allowing withdrawals of staked ether (eth) from the blockchain.
Similarly, an important aspect of the Dencun update is the implementation of “proto-danksharding.” This new process is designed to improve ethereum's data storage capacity, a move that is expected to reduce Layer 2 accumulator fees and scale the blockchain by increasing space for “blobs” of data.
By improving data handling capabilities and efficiency, it aims to improve rollup performance and consequently the overall performance and affordability of the ethereum network.
“Layer 3 application chains”
In addition to the Dencun update, the meeting also highlighted the collaboration between Avail and StarkWare. The partnership aims to increase data availability for application chains within the Starknet Layer 2 network. Leveraging Madara, a customizable sequencer, this initiative seeks to develop application chains that will function as Layer 3 solutions within the Starknet ecosystem.
These Layer 3 application chains, powered by the combined efforts of Avail and StarkWare, aim to revolutionize modes of data availability, including validium and sovereign rollups. This, in turn, will help optimize the efficiency and finality of transaction processing, which is crucial for blockchain scalability.
The developers also addressed ethereum's role in the broader context of decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain technology. They reiterated their commitment to maintaining ethereum's position as a leader in the space, emphasizing the need for continuous innovation and adaptation to meet the ever-evolving demands of the market.
The meeting also provided a platform for developers to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead for ethereum. From addressing network congestion issues to improving user experience, developers explored a variety of topics that are critical to ethereum's roadmap and the needs of its users.
