Ethereum Cancun Upgrade: What Can We Expect From Proto-Danksharding?

Ethereum, the pioneer of smart contracts and decentralized applications, is gearing up for the next upgrade that promises to revolutionize its core functionalities. The Ethereum Cancun-Deneb upgrade is a much-anticipated milestone in Ethereum's journey toward scalability and efficiency.

At the heart of this upgrade lies EIP-4844, a beacon of innovation that introduces Proto-Danksharding. But what exactly is Proto-Danksharding, and why is it causing such a stir in the crypto community? Read on to know all about the next Ethereum upgrade and its importance for traders and crypto enthusiasts. 

The Ethereum Dencun upgrade, also known as the Ethereum Cancun-Deneb upgrade, is one of the most anticipated events in the Ethereum 2.0 roadmap. Named after the brightest star in the Cygnus constellation, the Dencun upgrade is a crucial part of the comprehensive plan to enhance Ethereum's scalability, security, and efficiency. It aims to introduce a new, efficient, scalable, and secure blockchain ecosystem. 

The Cancun-Deneb upgrade aims to scale the blockchain by making more space for "blobs" of data, ultimately decreasing gas fees for layer-2 rollups. Here are the key aspects of the Ethereum Dencun upgrade: 

1. Scalability: The upgrade will introduce improvements to both the execution layer (Cancun) and the consensus layer, making the network more efficient and capable of handling more transactions.

2. Security: The Dencun upgrade will implement security enhancements to protect the network from potential threats and vulnerabilities, ensuring the safety of user assets.

3. Staking: The upgrade is expected to stimulate liquid staking, which could encourage more participation from Ethereum holders in staking activities, further securing the network. 

The Ethereum Dencun upgrade is anticipated to arrive in the latter part of 2023. While an exact release date has not been specified, multiple sources indicate it is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2023 (Q4 2023).

For the most up-to-date and precise information regarding the Ethereum Dencun upgrade's rollout, we recommend you monitor official Ethereum development channels and announcements.

The Ethereum 2.0 journey has had remarkable milestones, with the various phases working towards making Ethereum more scalable, secure, and efficient. Here's a brief recap of the Ethereum 2.0 journey so far: 

Phase 0: Beacon Chain 

The Beacon Chain launched on 1 December 2020, marking the first phase of Ethereum 2.0. The Beacon Chain was a separate PoS blockchain operating alongside the Ethereum network, enhancing security and preparing for future upgrades.

The Merge

The next important milestone in Ethereum 2.0 was when The Merge, also known as Ethereum Mainnet merge, occurred on 15 September 2022. It integrated the Ethereum Mainnet with the Beacon Chain and established a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism. The Merge reduced Ethereum's energy consumption by more than 99.5%.

Ethereum Shanghai/Capella Upgrade 

The Shanghai upgrade marks a significant milestone in Ethereum's development. The Shanghai/Capella update, which rolled out in April 2023, enabled withdrawals of staked Ether and corresponding rewards, boosting accessibility and encouraging higher staking activity on the Ethereum network. 

The previous phases set the stage for improving Ethereum's efficiency and scalability. However, the upcoming Ethereum Cancun upgrade will be a game-changer, primarily due to the introduction of the proto-danksharding. 

EIP-4844, also known as Proto-Danksharding, is a significant upgrade proposal for Ethereum to reduce gas fees and enhance scalability. Proto-danksharding, heralded in EIP-4844 (Ethereum Improvement Proposal), is a provisional version of the scalable chains that will form the final danksharding mechanics. With proto-danksharding, Ethereum developers intend to deploy a subset of the danksharding blueprint in the Ethereum Dencun upgrade. Here are the key highlights of EIP-4844:

Introduction to EIP-4844

EIP-4844 introduces a new type of transaction to Ethereum that can accept "blobs" of data. Blobs are stored exclusively in the Beacon Chain for a short period, contributing to the scalability of the network. In contrast, the existing Ethereum network primarily stores data on the Ethereum Mainnet and in various smart contracts.

Reducing Ethereum Gas Fees 

One of the primary goals of EIP-4844 is to lower gas fees on the Ethereum network. This is crucial for making transactions and smart contracts more affordable for users and developers.

Proto-Danksharding 

Proto-Danksharding is a transitional phase towards full Danksharding. It's part of the Ethereum Cancun-Deneb upgrade and involves introducing new transaction types and mechanisms to enhance scalability.

EIP-4844, or Proto-Danksharding, introduces innovative transaction types and data handling mechanisms expected to benefit users and developers on the Ethereum network.

Other Key EIPs Expected in the Ethereum Cancun Update

The Ethereum Cancun-Deneb upgrade will include several Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) and EIP-4844 (Proto-Danksharding). This proposal introduces Proto-Danksharding (EIP-4844), a critical upgrade to enhance Ethereum’s scalability and reduce gas fees.

Apart from EIP-4844, a few other Ethereum Improvement Proposals may be incorporated into the Dencun upgrade. While exact information on all EIPs included in the upcoming Ethereum Dencun upgrade is not yet available, they could focus on the following areas: 

1. Enhancing Data Storage: The primary goal of these EIPs is to boost Ethereum's data storage capabilities by around 1,000x. This is essential for improving the overall performance and utility of the network.

2. Reducing Ethereum's Gas Fees: Another significant aspect is the effort to lower transaction costs and fees on the Ethereum network by as much as 10-100x, making it more accessible and cost-effective for users.

3. Supporting More dApps and Smart Contracts: Ethereum aims to accommodate more applications and smart contracts by increasing data storage, further solidifying its position as a leading blockchain platform.

 A crucial stage before Danksharding, the Ethereum Cancun-Deneb upgrade, will be a milestone as Ethereum 2.0 gets ready to make the blockchain 100-1000x more scalable and bring down Ethereum gas fees to less than $0.001. 

The Cancun-Deneb update will significantly impact the Ethereum ecosystem's users, developers, and the crypto community at large. With 'stake-based' security from Ethereum staking and improved scalability from proto-danksharding, users can expect faster transactions, and developers can build more complex dApps.

Following the Ethereum Cancun-Deneb upgrade, Ethereum's throughput could increase from around 15 TPS to 1,000 TPS. The upgrade would make the network more capable of handling transactions and supporting smart contracts and dApps. Additionally, EIP-4844 aims to reduce gas fees on Ethereum Layer-2 networks by as much as 10-100 times through data blobs. 

Dencun aims to enhance the efficiency and compatibility of transactions, paving the way for future developments and improvements within the Ethereum ecosystem. This will give developers a more robust platform for building dApps.

The Dencun upgrade's game-changing feature to expand storage data through 'blobs' and fixing the data bandwidth at 1 MB per slot will benefit developers immensely. Proto-danksharding will enable developers to store and access more data, potentially opening up new use cases and opportunities for innovation.

Finally, the Cancun-Deneb upgrade could revive ETH liquid staking, benefit users looking to participate in staking activities, and earn rewards while maintaining liquidity. The next development phase in the Ethereum 2.0 roadmap aims to make Ethereum a more attractive and versatile blockchain platform.

After the Dencun Upgrade, the Ethereum network is expected to move towards the full implementation of Danksharding, a significant scalability enhancement. Danksharding is designed to address Ethereum's scalability issues by introducing sharding technology, which divides the network into smaller parts (shards) to process transactions and smart contracts more efficiently. This improvement will reduce congestion and lower transaction fees, making Ethereum more user-friendly and attractive for developers.

Investors and Layer-2 projects are particularly interested in the Dencun upgrade due to its potential to enhance Ethereum's scalability and overall performance. It is expected to create opportunities for various stakeholders within the Ethereum ecosystem.

The Dencun upgrade paves the way for Proto-Danksharding and eventually full Danksharding implementation, which aims to significantly improve Ethereum's scalability and usability, benefiting both users and developers. 

The Ethereum 2.0 Cancun-Deneb upgrade is a significant stepping stone toward a more efficient and scalable Ethereum network. Despite some uncertainties, such as the exact release date, there is much to look forward to—especially considering the introduction of Proto-Danksharding. As Ethereum continues evolving, so will the crypto market, providing traders and investors ample opportunities to make the most of the Ethereum ecosystem.