Explaining the Ethereum Cancun-Deneb (Dencun) Upgrade

Dencun, a merger of two separate upgrades known as Deneb and Cancun, addresses Ethereum's consensus and execution layers in a unified upgrade. This technical hard fork, which occurred at Ethereum epoch 269,568 between 1:55 pm and 2:10 pm UTC, aims to significantly reduce transaction fees for layer-2 solutions and enhance Ethereum's scalability.

The Deneb upgrade focuses on enhancing the consensus layer, responsible for network participants' agreement on the blockchain's state. Meanwhile, Cancun aims to improve transaction management and processing on the execution layer. Notably, Dencun follows the Shanghai upgrade in April 2023, which allowed Ether (ETH) holders to unstake previously locked ETH.

Timeline of the Ethereum Cancun-Deneb (Dencun) Upgrade

Rising gas fees on Ethereum prompted developers to take action. While layer-2 solutions initially offered scalability, high gas prices on these solutions hindered widespread adoption. Dencun introduces proto-danksharding, benefiting layer-2 networks like Polygon, Arbitrum, and Optimism. This feature significantly reduces transaction costs, paving the way for Ethereum's scalability. It's worth noting that shard chains are no longer part of Ethereum's roadmap.

Proto-danksharding, introduced through Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP)-4844, is a significant aspect of the upgrade. It replaces transaction calldata with data blobs, improving the efficiency of storing L2 transaction data off-chain. This technique reduces the burden on validators and optimizes data storage, enhancing network performance.

Proto-danksharding vs. danksharding

EIP-4844 introduces cryptographic tools like the KZG commitment scheme, ensuring the security of off-chain data stored in blobs. Despite a temporary dip in Ether's price post-upgrade, Dencun marks progress in addressing Ethereum's scalability issues.

Proto-danksharding vs. danksharding

Features	Proto-danksharding	Danksharding
Stage	Stepping stone, intermediate solution	Full sharding implementation
Data storage off-chain	Limited (specific data blobs)	Extensive (large amounts of data)
Layer-2 fees	Reduced fee	Very low fees (expected)
Data retention	Blobs pruned after about two weeks	Unknown (under discussion)

Benefits of the Ethereum Dencun Upgrade

• Reduced fees on layer-2 solutions make Ethereum more accessible. Proto-danksharding lays the groundwork for full danksharding, a vital step towards scalability. Lower fees enhance the competitiveness of Ethereum, attracting more users and developers.

• Enhanced security measures, including improved communication between consensus and execution layers, bolster Ethereum's security posture. Changes to the "SELFDESTRUCT" function in smart contracts further enhance security.

• Improved user and developer experience, streamlined transactions, and consensus mechanisms foster innovation. Dencun's introduction of critical concepts necessary for full danksharding promises a more scalable and vibrant Ethereum ecosystem.

Roadmap to Full Danksharding

Dencun sets the stage for further developments, with future upgrades building upon proto-danksharding's foundation. Innovations in block production and data availability solutions will pave the way for a complete Danksharding system, enabling parallel processing of transactions and massive scalability. The next upgrade, Petra, merges Prague and Electra, focusing on scalability enhancements like Verkle trees for efficient data storage. While the timeline to full danksharding remains uncertain, Ethereum's commitment to ongoing development ensures progress towards a scalable and future-proof platform.