- Ethereum developers are launching the Hoodi testnet on March 17 to finalize testing for the Pectra upgrade, following issues with Holesky and Sepolia testnets.
- If successful, Pectra could go live on the Ethereum mainnet as early as April 25, bringing key improvements to scalability, staking, and smart contract functionality.
The highly anticipated Pectra upgrade is on the horizon. This is because Ethereum is set to launch a new testnest, Hoodi. This comes after Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade on the Sepolia testnet ran into unexpected issues. Developers experienced bugs in their geth nodes, alongside mined empty blocks, the moment it was deployed at 7:29 AM UTC on March 5.
Notably, this, in turn, caused a delay in the upgrade’s official release schedule.
Ethereum’s New Testnet; Hoodi
The Ethereum Foundation announced during a recent All Devs Call that Hoodi will launch a persistent testnet on March 17th. This decision comes on the heels of challenges faced during the Pectra upgrade activations on Holesky and Sepolia, which experienced technical setbacks.
To ensure a seamless rollout of the Pectra upgrade, the Ethereum Foundation has launched Hoodi, a dedicated testnet for final-stage testing. The Foundation will heavily invest in Hoodi, maintaining a validator count comparable to the Ethereum mainnet.
Pectra’s Key Enhancements:
The Pectra upgrade promises fundamental improvements to Ethereum’s usability and scalability, including;
- Reduced Layer 2 Data Costs: Increased “blob” transactions will improve data availability and lower costs for Layer 2 solutions.
- Expanded Staking Capacity: A higher staking cap will boost network participation and security.
- Account Abstraction: Enhanced smart contract and wallet functionality will broaden Ethereum’s capabilities.
These upgrades aim to enhance Ethereum’s efficiency for developers and users.
Hoodi’s Purpose and Advantages:
Due to ongoing problems with Holesky’s validator exit queue during testing, Hoodi was developed as a solution. Hoodi allows developers to test validator exits without modifying Holesky’s code, preventing potential new bugs and delays to Pectra. Holesky and Sepolia will continue to serve other research purposes.
By launching Hoodi, Ethereum aims to identify and resolve Pectra issues before its mainnet deployment, ensuring a smoother launch.
Pectra’s Potential Mainnet Launch:
It is worth mentioning that if testing continues smoothly on Hoodi, Pectra could be activated on the Ethereum mainnet as early as April 25th. This is approximately 30 days after Hoodi’s deployment.
The Ethereum community is closely monitoring these developments, as Pectra is expected to deliver major improvements.
The launch of Hoodi showcases Ethereum’s commitment to a smooth transition and reinforces its position as a leading blockchain platform as highlighted by Etheum co-founder, Vitalik Buterin.
It is wise to also highlight that the focus now shifts to Hoodi’s performance and its role in shaping Ethereum’s future as Vitalik has always envisioned.
Meanwhile, ETH is swapping hands with $1,923.50 marking a 3.15% surge in the past 24 hours. Additionally, ETH’s market cap has recorded a 3.16% surge, stopping at $232.29B.