The Ethereum core development community convened for All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) Meeting #186 on April 25, 2024, to coordinate progress on the upcoming Pectra upgrade. This session brought together key protocol contributors from major client teams and the Ethereum Foundation (EF) to align on technical implementations, evaluate proposed EIPs, and discuss broader governance dynamics in a rollup-centric era. Discussions centered around Devnet 0 preparations, EIP 3074’s controversial path forward, potential inclusions like EIP 7212 and EIP 7623, and long-term implications of the Rollup Improvement Proposal (RIP) process.
Pectra Devnet 0: Client Progress and Timeline
Tim Beiko, EF’s protocol support lead and meeting facilitator, opened the discussion by requesting status updates from execution layer (EL) client teams regarding Pectra Devnet 0—the first testnet environment designed to simulate the full Pectra hard fork.
- Nethermind: Marek Moraczyński confirmed full implementation of all Pectra-related EIPs, with ongoing refinement and test suite development.
- Besu: Justin Florentine reported steady progress, expecting full readiness by Devnet 0 launch.
- Erigon: Andrew Ashikhmin expressed uncertainty due to shifting EIP specifications and resource constraints tied to the transition to Erigon 3, the client’s next major version. However, both upgrades will be integrated once finalized.
- Geth: The developer known as “Lightclient” stated Geth is only “a few days away” from readiness.
- EthereumJS: Gajinder Singh affirmed that the team will be prepared for Devnet 0.
While no official launch date was set, the general consensus suggests Devnet 0 could go live within weeks, contingent on final testing and coordination.
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EIP 7685: Unifying Cross-Layer Requests
A significant technical milestone discussed was the integration of EIP 7685 into the Pectra specification. This EIP introduces a standardized framework for storing execution-layer-triggered requests to the consensus layer (CL), streamlining interactions across critical upgrades like EIP 6110 (stake withdrawals) and EIP 7002 (execution layer triggers for validator exits).
Lightclient confirmed the merge of EIP 7685 into Geth’s development branch. Developers were advised to incorporate this change—and its ripple effects on other Pectra EIPs—into their Devnet 0 builds.
On testing progress:
- EIP 6110 & EIP 2537 (BLS12-381 precompiles): Testing complete.
- EIP 7002 & EIP 2935 (transaction receipts as storage): Expected completion within the week.
- EIP 3074: Testing not ready for Devnet 0.
EF researchers also shared updates:
- Antonio Sanso noted revisions to EIP 2537’s spec and new test vectors published on GitHub.
- Hsiao Wei Wang identified a bug in CL test vectors and committed to a corrected release.
EIP 3074: Technical Debate and Governance Concerns
EIP 3074, which introduces AUTH and AUTHCALL opcodes to enable sponsored transactions and improve wallet UX, remained a focal point of contention.
Proposed Changes
- Ahmad Mazen Bitar suggested allowing
DELEGATECALLbeforeAUTHCALLto expand use cases. - Derek Chiang (ZeroDev) proposed a "noncemanager" contract for global revocation of
AUTHmessages.
However, several developers voiced concerns about increased complexity. Beiko recommended these discussions move to a dedicated breakout session, urging finalization within the next one to two months to allow sufficient implementation time.
For Devnet 0, all teams were instructed to implement EIP 3074 without modifications—even if future revisions or removal remain possible.
Community Consensus and Pushback
A developer under the name “Siri” raised philosophical objections, arguing that EIP 3074 could delay full account abstraction (AA) adoption. Beiko countered that among client teams, EIP 3074 currently holds the most consensus for near-term improvements to external owned accounts (EOAs).
Chiang echoed broader community surprise: many in the ERC-4337/AA ecosystem felt blindsided by EIP 3074’s resurgence after being considered dormant. He advocated for deeper technical dialogue before inclusion.
Ansgar Dietrichs emphasized the need for a clear post-Pectra AA roadmap: if sufficient progress isn’t made toward full account abstraction, EIP 3074 should be reconsidered.
Vitalik Buterin added that users should be proactively informed—via informational EIPs—about upcoming changes to EOAs, especially as abstraction evolves.
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Other Potential Pectra Inclusions
Developers evaluated additional EIPs for possible inclusion:
EIP 7212 – secp256r1 Precompile
Proposed by Bitar, this EIP adds support for hardware wallets using biometric authentication via the secp256r1 curve. Ashikhmin and Dietrichs expressed support. Notably, it’s the only proposal approved through the Rollup Improvement Proposal (RIP) process.
EIP 7623 – Call Data Cost Increase
Backed by Dietrichs, van der Wijden, and Moraczyński, this aims to limit block size by increasing call data costs. Beiko labeled both EIPs as “under consideration,” pending bandwidth assessment post-Devnet 0.
SSZ Serialization for EL
Updating EL components (e.g., transaction receipts) to use SSZ (Simple Serialize) format was discussed. Van der Wijden and Ballet expressed feasibility concerns. Buterin highlighted its cross-layer value: reducing audit overhead for L2s. Etan Kissling (Nimbus), absent but active on GitHub, stressed its importance.
EOF (Ethereum Object Format)
Progress on EOF remains strong:
- EVMOne and Reth have completed implementations.
- Geth is nearing completion.
- Collaboration between Ballet and Solidity developers addresses compatibility with Verkle trees.
Despite complexity concerns, efforts to downscope EOF face challenges—removing features like EOFCREATE doesn’t significantly reduce overall complexity. Regular EOF breakout sessions continue to guide progress.
ACD/EIPs & L2/RIPs: Evolving Governance in a Rollup-Centric Era
With six months since the launch of RollCall and the RIP process, developers reflected on how Layer-2 innovation influences Layer-1 governance.
Dietrichs noted that while L2s were expected to experiment freely, most have instead aligned closely with L1 standards. This raises questions:
- Should L1 adopt changes proven on L2?
- How much divergence is acceptable?
Péter Szilágyi warned against investing effort into supporting L2-specific features that may become obsolete. Carl Beekhuizen clarified that RIP isn’t prescriptive—it enhances communication, not mandates.
Van der Wijden cautioned against wasted effort on short-lived L2 experiments.
Dietrichs concluded: given the rollup-centric roadmap, Ethereum should provide clearer guidance to L2s on sustainable development paths.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Pectra Devnet 0?
A: It’s the first testnet environment simulating the Pectra upgrade, allowing client teams to test and validate new EIPs in a coordinated setting before mainnet deployment.
Q: Why is EIP 3074 controversial?
A: Critics argue it delays full account abstraction and introduces security risks via AUTH message spoofing. Proponents see it as a pragmatic step toward better wallet UX and transaction sponsorship.
Q: What is the RIP process?
A: The Rollup Improvement Proposal (RIP) process allows L2 teams to propose and coordinate protocol changes relevant to rollups, fostering alignment between Layer-1 and Layer-2 ecosystems.
Q: Is EOF still planned for Pectra?
A: While not confirmed, EOF implementation is progressing well across clients. Its inclusion depends on complexity management and client bandwidth post-Devnet 0.
Q: How does SSZ serialization benefit Ethereum?
A: SSZ improves efficiency and consistency across layers, particularly aiding light clients and reducing verification overhead for rollups building on Ethereum.
Q: What role do breakout sessions play in Ethereum governance?
A: They enable focused technical discussions on complex proposals like EIP 3074 or EOF, helping resolve issues before broader consensus is sought in main developer calls.
Core keywords: Ethereum, Pectra upgrade, EIP 3074, account abstraction, rollup-centric roadmap, Devnet 0, EIP 7685, RIP process.