Exciting Updates Coming to Ethereum with the Pectra Upgrade
The Ethereum community is eagerly anticipating the upcoming Pectra upgrade, which is currently set to launch on the mainnet on April 30. This highly anticipated upgrade promises to bring a host of improvements and enhancements to the Ethereum network, creating a more streamlined and efficient experience for users and developers alike.
Key Details About the Pectra Upgrade
- The Pectra upgrade is tentatively scheduled to go live on the mainnet on April 30.
- The activation is expected to take place at slot 11,599,872, around 14:14:47 UTC.
- Infrastructure and application teams will be notified in advance to address any potential concerns.
- The upgrade coordination will follow a structured process modeled after Fredrik’s fork coordination method.
Hoodi Testnet Finalization Marks Milestone for Pectra Upgrade
Just recently, the Pectra upgrade achieved full finalization on the Hoodi testnet, paving the way for its successful deployment on the Ethereum mainnet. This achievement is especially significant considering the earlier delays experienced on other testnets like Holesky and Sepolia.
Ethereum client Nethermind confirmed that Pectra had finalized on Hoodi with all upgrade features in place, signaling a key step forward in the upgrade process.
With Hoodi proving to be a reliable replacement for the problematic Holesky testnet, developers are now one step closer to bringing the Pectra upgrade to Ethereum’s mainnet.
Issues with Previous Testnets
Both Holesky and Sepolia faced challenges that hindered the rollout of the Pectra upgrade. Holesky encountered execution client bugs due to incorrect deposit contract addresses, leading to chain splits and network instability. On the other hand, Sepolia experienced disruptions caused by custom deposit contracts affecting block transactions.
While the problems on Sepolia were eventually resolved, Holesky continued to struggle, prompting developers to transition to the more reliable Hoodi testnet.
Future Plans for Holesky
Given the persistent issues with Holesky, the Ethereum Foundation has announced that support for this testnet will end by September 2025, further solidifying the transition to Hoodi as the preferred testnet for the Pectra upgrade.
