- Ethereum users and builders can now try out features of the Pectra upgrade.
- The process will play a significant role in fine-tuning the features.
- Pectra will bring several significant changes to Ethereum.
Despite the dark cloud hanging over ETH in recent months, developers remain focused on improving the technology behind the Ethereum network.
Less than a year after the March 2024 Dencun upgrade , which drastically reduced fees on Layer 2 chains , developers are moving full speed ahead toward the network’s next major upgrade, Pectra. In preparation for the upgrade, they have now rolled out a special testnet designed to allow users and builders to try out the planned changes.
Ethereum Devs Unveil Mekong
Ethereum users and builders can now try out features of the Pectra upgrade. On Thursday, November 7, Ethereum developers unveiled Mekong , a new temporary testnet developed specifically for the Pectra upgrade.
Sponsored
As disclosed by the developers, the testnet comes fully equipped with all the Ethereum Improvement Proposals set to be included in the upcoming Pectra upgrade, allowing users to familiarize themselves with the planned changes.
Developers stressed that while minor specifications may be tweaked, the features on Mekong will be the same that will make it to public testnets such as Sepolia and Holesky and eventually to the mainnet.
What Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade Brings
Originally conceived as a collection of small changes to Ethereum, Pectra has ballooned into the network’s biggest hard fork yet, forcing developers to split it into two packages .
The first package is set to include eight EIPs, with the standouts being EIP-7702 , billed to improve wallet UX, and EIP-6110, which will introduce staking changes. The second package will include PeerDAS and EVM Object Format (EOF) EIPs.
PeerDAS, short for Peer Data Availability Sampling, will improve data availability for Layer 2 chains, allowing Ethereum to handle greater demand without fee spikes. On the other hand, EOF is meant to make Ethereum’s smart contract programming environment more developer-friendly to allow for greater efficiency.
While there is no set date, the first Pectra package is expected to go live on the mainnet in the first half of 2025.
On the Flipside
- Developers did not specify how long they plan to keep Mekong running or the metrics to decide on that.
- There is still no set date for the Pectra upgrade.
Why This Matters
Pectra is set to be Ethereum’s largest hard fork yet. The upgrade will bring several fundamental changes to the network.
Read this for more on the Pectra upgrade:
Ethereum Devs Decide To Split Pectra in Two: Here’s What You Need to Know
Learn more about Bitcoin’s recent price action:
Bitcoin Surges Past $76K: Why It’s Still Far From Its Cycle Peak
