- The Dencun update on Ethereum, introducing proto-danksharding, aims to drastically reduce layer-2 transaction costs, enhancing scalability and efficiency.
- Set for a mainnet launch decision on February 8th, Dencun combines Cancun and Deneb updates, marking a significant Ethereum evolution.
The Ethereum update, named Dencun, which introduces the concept of “proto-danksharding,” has been successfully deployed on the Holesky testnet on February 7th. This progress represents the completion of its final testing phase and is now pending a date to be set for its implementation on the main network (mainnet).
Proto-danksharding, introduced through the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP-4844), is a highlighted feature of this update. It introduces “blobs” that will allow for the temporary storage and access to large amounts of off-chain data by Ethereum nodes. This is important because it can considerably reduce transaction costs on Ethereum’s layer-2s.
Holesky 🤝 blobs
Dencun is live on the Holesky testnet! Nethermind nodes are green 🟢Mainnet, you’re next 🔜 pic.twitter.com/ZoQqxX4jnb
— Nethermind (@NethermindEth) February 7, 2024
Philippe Schommers, head of infrastructure at Gnosis, previously explained that the implementation of Dencun on the Ethereum mainnet could reduce the costs of rollups by up to ten times. The date for the mainnet deployment is expected to be decided in an AllCoreDevs call on February 8th, aiming for an implementation in early to mid-March according to Ethereum enthusiast Anthony Sassano.
Dencun combines the Cancun and Deneb updates, and is expected to be the most update of Ethereum since the Shapella update last April, which for the first time allowed the unlocking of Ether (ETH) from the Beacon Chain since its launch on December 1, 2020.
Cancun focuses on network scalability at the execution layer and includes several EIPs such as EIP-4844, EIP-1153, EIP-4788, and EIP-6780. On the other hand, Deneb focuses on improving Ethereum’s consensus layer.
Dencun was deployed on the Goerli and Sepolia testnets on January 17th and January 30th, respectively. However, the deployment on Goerli experienced a four-hour delay due to a bug that prevented the completion of the update on the testnet.
This advancement is promising for the future of Ethereum, as it seeks to significantly improve network scalability and efficiency, potentially reducing transaction costs and facilitating access to large amounts of data, which is essential for the development of decentralized applications and services on Ethereum.
