Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently outlined at
This initiative aims to streamline the Ethereum protocol by reducing the need to store historical data. Doing so significantly reduces the storage demands on the node operator's hard drives and reduces the technical debt associated with the protocol.
Essentially, “The Purge” is an effort to slim down Ethereum and tackle its accumulated technical problems head-on. Buterin’s announcement also suggested that additional Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) are in the pipeline, also aimed at simplicity.
The technical strategy behind Ethereum’s new developments
In a recent update, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin highlighted the implementation of Ethereum Improvement Protocol (EIP)-6780 during the Dencun hard fork, marking significant progress in simplifying the Ethereum protocol.
This update reduces the functionality of the “SELFDESTRUCT” code and improves security measures.
Following the implementation of EIP-6780, another adjustment includes a cap on the number of storage slots that can be modified in one block. This is basically your gas limit divided by 5000.
A quick note on next steps in simplifying the Ethereum protocol and reducing node resource load (aka “purging”): https://t.co/BAebCGrisB
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) April 1, 2024
Buterin hopes that future protocols will completely remove the SELFDESTRUCT feature, making the network even more secure and streamlined.
Buterin is responsible for a series of cleanup efforts within the Guess Ethereum client aimed at removing unnecessary code after Ethereum transitioned from proof-of-work (PoW) to proof-of-stake (PoS). was called “purge”.
This effort is part of a broader effort to manage empty accounts more efficiently, contributing to improved overall code efficiency.
Purge's vision for enhanced data management and decentralization
Additionally, EIP-4444 was introduced during the Dencun upgrade due to the main purpose of the purge to optimize data storage on the Ethereum blockchain.
This protocol introduces “BLOBs” for certain data storage purposes, with the goal of reducing long-term storage demands and making node participation more manageable. The proposal also plans to automatically delete old blocks after a certain period of time, with the aim of further reducing storage needs.
Buterin emphasized that the purge will distribute historical data more efficiently across the network, significantly improving the decentralization of Ethereum nodes. He acknowledged that not all nodes will maintain complete historical data, but said block explorers and decentralized peer-to-peer networks are being considered to maintain data accessibility.
Additionally, The Purge plans to reevaluate and improve precompiled Ethereum contracts and introduce a new data structure known as SimpleSerialize (SSZ) that is expected to replace the current block structure.
Ethereum’s complex Layer 2 scaling solution can be problematic
On December 30, 2023, Vitalik Buterin announced an update to Ethereum's roadmap, highlighting significant progress in the Surge (rollup scaling) effort, including advances in EIP-4844 and rollup technology, among others. .
He pointed out that long-term advances in cross-rollup standards and interoperability are essential, aiming to strengthen the Ethereum ecosystem.
Buterin recently expressed concerns about the complexity of layer 2 scaling solutions within the blockchain ecosystem. He highlighted the dangers that complex Layer 2 networks pose through social media and advocated for a more cautious development approach.
To be honest, I'm about three times less confident in the concept of simplifying L1 at the expense of more complex L2 than I was five years ago. The challenge is that if you can trade off the risk of L1 bugs and the risk of L2 bugs, it's not really clear whether the latter is better.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 21, 2024
There is a consensus within the blockchain community that layer 1 networks should remain simple to reduce the occurrence of critical bugs and vulnerabilities. This perspective suggests that more complex functionality should be managed by a Layer 2 network dedicated to scaling the solution.
Layer 2 network failure can result in loss of user funds
Buterin emphasized the severe impact of critical bugs in Layer 2 networks, saying that unlike Layer 1 blockchains that can quickly recover from consensus failures, such failures in Layer 2 networks could result in irreversible loss of user funds. It was pointed out that this could lead to losses.
As a solution, Buterin proposed the idea of incorporating advanced features into the Layer 1 network to reduce the burden on the Layer 2 network. This strategy allows Layer 2 networks to remain simple, reducing the chance of major bugs and security issues, protecting users' funds, and increasing overall system reliability.
