Network Upgrades

Technical upgrades are made periodically to the Ethereum protocol. Upgrades typically comprise of Core Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) that have achieved consensus across the Ethereum clients & community.

Ethereum blockchain upgrades

In the section below you can find more information on past and upcoming network upgrades.

The Merge is a planned network upgrade for switching consensus from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake.
For more information regarding The Merge do check our merge page by clicking here.

Consensus Layer

Client Version Download Link
Lighthouse v3.1.0 Download
Lodestar v1.0.0 Download
Nimbus v22.9.0 Release
Prysm v3.1.1 Download
Teku v22.9.0 Download

Execution Layer

Client Version Download Link
Besu 22.7.2 Download
Erigon 2022.09.01-alpha Release
go-ethereum (geth) 1.10.23 Download
Nethermind v1.14.1 Download
This is a planned upgrade to delay the difficulty bomb to be noticeable in Summer 2022.
To understand how the “Difficulty Bomb” works in the Ethereum blockchain, please follow the recording of PEEPanEIP#54: EIP-4345: Difficulty Bomb Delay to June 2022 with T Jay Rush

Client Specs

Client Version Download Link
go-ethereum (geth) 1.10.19 Download
Nethermind 1.13.3 Download
Erigon 2022.06.03-alpha Release
Besu 22.4.3 Download
This is a planned upgrade to delay the difficulty bomb to be noticeable in Summer 2022.
To understand how the “Difficulty Bomb” works in the Ethereum blockchain, please follow the recording of [EIP-4345: Difficulty Bomb Delay to June 2022 with T Jay Rush] & PEEPanEIP #39: Difficulty bomb & EIP-3554 with James Hancock.

Client Specs

Client Version Download Link
go-ethereum (geth) 1.10.12 Download
Nethermind 1.11.7 Download
Erigon 2021.11.01-alpha Release
Prysm v2.0.0 Download
Besu 21.10.0 Download
EthereumJS VM 5.6.0 Download
This is the first planned network upgrade for the Beacon chain (Ethereum 2.0). It is already activated on the Prater testnet. Follow the consensus monitor shared by Alex Stokes.
  • Mainnet upgrade date - Wednesday, 27th of October
  • Planned for epoch - 74240
  • Expected time - 10:56:23 UTC
  • Ethereum Foundation's Altair Mainnet Announcement

Resources

PEEPanEIP recordings
  • Altair Beacon chain upgrade with Vitalik and Danny
  • Altair - Accounting reform with Alex Stokes
  • Altair in Teku with Adrian Sutton
  • Altair upgrade & roadmap (Prysm) with Raul Jordan & Terence
  • Beacon chain metrics & benchmarking with Parithosh & Leonardo
  • A Brief History of Ethereum's Future with Ben Edgington
    • The network upgrade progress tracker helps with keeping track of improvement proposals in different phases of network upgrade. Clients' development and integration can be followed on the latest version of the developer's testnet. Read Shedding light on the Ethereum Network Upgrade Process for more information
    Network Upgrade
    Process Tracker

    How ECH support network upgrade.

    • Organising proposal & upgrades specific community calls
    • Documenting client Meetings
    • Socialize proposals and build educational resources through the Peep an EIP video series
    • Outreaching Ethereum projects & infrastructure providers to weigh-in community sentiments for improvement proposals
    • Process improvement and communication