Ethereum developers agreed to a multi-phased approach to implementing the long-awaited “Pectra” upgrade during their latest consensus layer meeting on Sept. 19.
The decision was made following growing concerns about the complexity of delivering the upgrade in a single release, which increased the risk of technical issues and bugs. A phased approach will ensure a smoother rollout and reduce the chance of bugs or disruptions in the day-to-day operation of the network.
Initially intended to be Ethereum’s most ambitious hard fork, Pectra will focus on delivering key improvements in the first phase, with the second phase allowing more time for developers to implement additional features.
Phase 1
The first phase of the Pectra upgrade, scheduled to begin in early 2025, will include eight Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), including EIP-7702, which aims to improve user experience on the digital wallet.
Other significant changes will focus on enhancing Ethereum's network efficiency and user interface, allowing for a more targeted implementation. This narrow scope will help maintain early control and minimize potential delays.
The developers carefully selected these improvements to address key areas of the Ethereum ecosystem while leaving room for further progress in the second phase.
Phase 2
The second phase, currently under development, is set to introduce even more ambitious upgrades to Ethereum's infrastructure.
This could include updates to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the introduction of PeerDAS, a feature designed to improve data availability sampling. PeerDAS is expected to play a key role in supporting layer-2 blockchains that rely on Ethereum for increased scalability and functionality.
As developers continue to improve the scope of Phase 2, a phased approach will allow them to focus on delivering the most important changes first, while ensuring that more complex updates receive the care and testing they require.
Splitting out Pectra’s implementation is expected to help Ethereum maintain its pace of innovation without compromising the stability of the network.
