Ethereum begins “Denkun” upgrade ─ Failed to finalize on testnet | CoinDesk JAPAN

Ethereum’s long-awaited upgrade, Dencun, was launched on the Goerli testnet in the early hours of January 17th, but was not finalized within the expected time.

According to blockchain data, the upgrade was pushed at 6:32 UTC, but failed to reach consensus and was not finalized on the testnet. The developer expects any apparent issues to be fixed in the coming days. This is likely due to low participation and validators not upgrading some of the software that would have helped them finalize.

And it seems like we have a chain split! Client teams are looking into it, but it’s likely to a while to pin down + fix the issues. Keep an eye out for updates!

— timbeiko.eth (@TimBeiko) January 17, 2024

Finality refers to the irreversibility of a transaction after it is confirmed and added to a block in a blockchain network. A testnet is a network that mimics a real blockchain and is used to test applications and important upgrades before pushing them to the mainnet.

Denkun’s implementation of Goerli is part of a three-step approach to ultimately enable a new, lower-cost way to store data on the main Ethereum blockchain.

This method is called “protodunk sharding,” and it not only increases data availability but also helps reduce transaction costs on layer 2 blockchains. Such auxiliary networks have proliferated in the last year as an alternative to processing transactions on the main Ethereum blockchain, but analysts say their growth is hampered by high data costs in their current setup. .

The next phase will take place in the coming weeks, with an upgrade to testnet Sepolia, followed by an upgrade to testnet Holesky.

Denkun is the first major upgrade (or “hard fork” in blockchain parlance) for Ethereum since last March’s Shapella upgrade. This milestone marks the second step in the transition from the more energy-intensive proof-of-work chain of the pre-Merge era to a proof-of-stake chain.

｜Translation: CoinDesk JAPAN
｜Edited by: Toshihiko Inoue
｜Image: Shutterstock
｜Original text: Ethereum’s Dencun Upgrade Goes Live, But Fails to Finalize on Testnet