Ethereum's Dencun Upgrade to Begin Testing on Goerli Testnet

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Dencun is scheduled for activation on the Goerli testnet at 6:32 UTC on January 17, 2024, marking Goerli's final upgrade before support ceases. Subsequent deployments will follow on Sepolia and Holesky testnets.

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What is the Dencun Upgrade?

Dencun introduces several significant changes, notably EIP-4844 ("proto-danksharding"), which utilizes ephemeral data blobs to reduce transaction fees on Layer 2 networks.

Following the successful Shapella upgrade, Ethereum is deploying Dencun first on Goerli, followed by Sepolia (Jan 30) and Holesky (Feb 7). The mainnet release date remains pending.

Dencun marks the last supported upgrade for Goerli testnet. For details, check this announcement.

Core Features of Dencun

• Proto-danksharding (EIP-4844): Enables temporary data blobs that expire after 18 days, reducing L2 fees significantly. Benefits networks such as Arbitrum and Optimism.
• Enhanced Functionalities: Includes new tools for bridges, staking pools, and restrictions on smart contracts’ self-destruct features.

Notable EIPs in Dencun:

• EIP-1153: Transient storage opcodes
• EIP-4788: Beacon block root in EVM
• EIP-4844: Shard Blob Transactions
• EIP-5656: MCOPY instruction
• EIP-6780: SELFDESTRUCT limited to same transaction
• EIP-7044: Perpetually valid validator exits
• EIP-7045: Max attestation inclusion slot increased
• EIP-7514: Validator onboarding cap
• EIP-7516: BLOBBASEFEE opcode

Ethereum upgrades typically undergo months of rigorous testing before mainnet activation. Dencun continues Ethereum’s evolution after the significant "Shapella" transition to proof-of-stake.

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