EIP-7569 Dencun hard fork meta (Hardfork Meta - Dencun)
Final · Other · EIP status Final · created 2023-12-01
A list-type (Meta) EIP that organizes the nine EIPs included in the Dencun network upgrade into a single document, divided between the execution layer and the consensus layer, and records activation timestamps for each network.
Why it is needed
Ethereum upgrades through hard forks, where all network participants change the rules together at a set point in time. A single upgrade bundles together multiple Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), and the specification for each proposal is scattered across different documents and repositories. In particular, an upgrade like Dencun, which changes both the execution layer (which processes transactions) and the consensus layer (which handles block consensus) at the same time, makes it hard to see at a glance which change belongs to which layer. This EIP gathers everything included in Dencun into one place to show the full picture, recording where the full specification of each EIP lives and the activation timestamps on testnets and mainnet. The specifications of past upgrades are managed separately in EIP-7568.
What changes
Today
- Checking which EIPs went into Dencun required searching several separate documents
- The specifications for execution layer changes and consensus layer changes are scattered across different repositories
- Activation timestamps for each network were not consolidated in one place
After EIP-7569
- The nine EIPs included in Dencun are listed together in a single document
- Each EIP's listing specifies whether it changes the execution layer or the consensus layer, and where its full specification is located
- A table records the activation epochs and timestamps for Goerli, Sepolia, Holesky, and mainnet
Who is affected
- Users: This EIP itself does not change any rules. It is the starting point document for finding out what changed in Dencun.
- Wallet & app developers: When checking behavior changes introduced after Dencun (new opcodes, blob transactions, etc.), this document is where you can find the list of included EIPs and their specification locations.
- Client teams: Used as the reference document for confirming the scope of EIPs to implement and the activation timestamps per network. The activation table was filled in as client teams set those dates.
In depth
The nine included EIPs
Dencun includes the following nine EIPs: EIP-1153 (Transient storage opcodes), EIP-4788 (Beacon block root in the EVM), EIP-4844 (Shard Blob Transactions), EIP-5656 (MCOPY, a memory copy instruction), EIP-6780 (SELFDESTRUCT only in same transaction), EIP-7044 (Perpetually Valid Signed Voluntary Exits), EIP-7045 (Increase Max Attestation Inclusion Slot), EIP-7514 (Add Max Epoch Churn Limit), and EIP-7516 (BLOBBASEFEE opcode).
Consensus layer changes
EIP 4788, 4844, 7044, 7045, and 7514 require changes to Ethereum's consensus layer. The specifications for these changes are in the deneb folder of the ethereum/consensus-specs repository. The upgrade name Dencun combines the consensus layer upgrade name Deneb with the execution layer upgrade name Cancun, and this EIP's description also lists it as the Deneb/Cancun upgrade.
Execution layer changes
EIP 1153, 4788, 4844, 5656, 6780, and 7516 require changes to Ethereum's execution layer. For these EIPs, each document fully specifies its own change itself. In other words, unlike the consensus layer, they do not reference a separate specification repository. EIP-4788 and EIP-4844 appear in both the consensus layer list and the execution layer list, showing that they change both layers at once.
Activation timestamps by network
According to the activation table, Goerli activated at epoch 231680, timestamp 1705473120; Sepolia at epoch 132608, timestamp 1706655072; Holešky at epoch 29696, timestamp 1707305664; and mainnet at epoch 269568, timestamp 1710338135. The source text notes that the rows of this table are filled in as client teams decide on activation timing, and all four networks now have values filled in.
The role and status of Meta EIPs
This document is not an EIP that directly proposes a code change but a Meta type. The source text's Rationale states that the purpose of this meta EIP is to provide a big-picture view and links to the full specifications of every change included in the Dencun upgrade. Security Considerations are listed as None. The requires list includes the 9 included EIPs along with EIP-7568, which covers past upgrade specifications. The status is Final, meaning the content is settled.