Staying current with the rapid pace of Ethereum’s All Core Developer (ACD) calls can feel like trying to catch a falling star. As the network evolves from its foundational roots into a sophisticated, multi-layered global settlement engine, the complexity of its upgrades has grown exponentially. This "Checkpoint" update serves as a critical synthesis of the latest progress, roadblocks, and strategic shifts currently shaping the Ethereum ecosystem.
Main Facts: The Current State of Upgrades
Ethereum development is currently defined by the transition between two major network upgrades: Glamsterdam and Hegotá.
The Glamsterdam upgrade, while progressing, has encountered significant technical friction. The centerpiece of this update is the implementation of enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS), a mechanism designed to fundamentally reorganize how blocks are produced on the network. Unlike current methods, which rely on off-protocol relayers, ePBS aims to pull this coordination directly into the consensus layer. The inherent complexity of managing two-party coordination and "partial blocks" means that every layer of the Ethereum stack must be re-evaluated to ensure stability and security.
Simultaneously, the Hegotá upgrade has officially locked in its headliner: FOCIL (EIP-7805). This consensus-layer improvement is now the primary focus for the follow-up to Glamsterdam. While the community remains deeply invested in Account Abstraction, debates regarding its specific implementation—such as the contentious "Frame transactions" (EIP-8141)—have led developers to relegate these proposals to "Considered for Inclusion" (CFI) status. This move allows for a more measured, community-backed approach to Account Abstraction in future cycles.
Chronology of Development
The path to these upgrades is not linear; it is a series of iterative devnets designed to stress-test specific features before they are integrated into the mainnet.
Q1 2026: Setting the Stage
Following the successful, rapid deployment of the Fusaka upgrade, expectations for Ethereum’s fork frequency were high. However, the move toward Glamsterdam proved that complexity does not always scale linearly. The early months of 2026 were defined by intense debate over gas repricing bundles and the necessity of increasing the maximum contract size (EIP-7954).
The Current Sprint: March – April 2026
Developers are currently pushing for the first generalized Glamsterdam devnet. The prerequisite for this milestone is the stabilization of the current ePBS devnet. Once stability is achieved, the workflow is clear:
- Iterative Devnets: Adding non-headliner features to the core ePBS foundation.
- Client Releases: Once a "feature-complete" devnet is finalized, client teams will begin the process of cutting production releases.
- Security Audits: A mandatory phase where the new codebases undergo rigorous, multi-party reviews.
- Testnet Deployment: Public-facing testing on networks like Sepolia or Holesky to simulate real-world conditions.
- Mainnet Announcement: Only after these milestones are verified will a mainnet fork date be set.
Looking Toward April 9th and Beyond
Starting April 9th, the submission window for non-headlining EIPs for the Hegotá upgrade officially opens. This process, governed by the "Proposed for Inclusion" meta-EIP, invites community members to contribute features that meet the rigorous standards required for inclusion in the core protocol.
Supporting Data and Technical Challenges
The ePBS Hurdle
The primary technical bottleneck remains ePBS. By splitting block production into two distinct roles—the Proposer and the Builder—the protocol must now account for scenarios where one party fails or acts maliciously. This requires a rethink of how the consensus layer handles "partial blocks." Every node operator and client developer must now write logic to account for these two-party interactions, which constitutes a massive architectural shift.
Gas Repricing and Scalability
The network is also testing significantly higher gas limits. While the current target baseline remains 60 million, research is ongoing into the implications of pushing this limit further. The gas repricing work being bundled into Glamsterdam is not merely an optimization; it is a prerequisite for safely raising the gas limit without compromising network decentralization.
The Rise of the Strawmap
In response to the confusion surrounding upgrade priorities, the community has seen a resurgence in the use of the "strawmap"—a community-driven roadmap that, while not official, provides a vital heuristic for prioritizing features. This tool has significantly reduced the friction during ACD meetings by providing a clear visual representation of what the community values most.
Official Responses and Developer Sentiment
Client developers remain cautiously optimistic. Despite the slow progress of Glamsterdam, there is a prevailing sentiment that the complexity is "the price of doing business" on a protocol as large as Ethereum. There is no sense of urgency that overrides the necessity for safety; if an upgrade takes an extra month to ensure it is bug-free, the consensus is to take that time.
Regarding Account Abstraction, the decision to move EIP-8141 to CFI status was a calculated effort to avoid "rushing" a feature that requires broad support. The official stance from the Protocol Support team is that Account Abstraction is a long-term goal that will likely be promoted to a headliner once the community converges on a specific, high-consensus implementation path.
The newly published EIP Champions Handbook is a direct response to feedback that the process for getting a proposal accepted was too opaque. By formalizing the path from an idea to an upgrade, the Ethereum Foundation is lowering the barrier for innovation while maintaining high quality-control standards.
Implications for the Ecosystem
For Stakers and Node Operators
The implications of the upcoming upgrades are significant. With ePBS, the interaction between builders and validators will become more transparent but also more complex. Node operators should prepare for updates to their client software that will likely require more robust hardware configurations as gas limits eventually climb.
For Developers and DApp Builders
The inclusion of features like "Block-level Access Lists" (BALs) will fundamentally change how smart contracts interact with the state. Developers who build on Ethereum must start familiarizing themselves with these changes now. The potential for increased contract size will allow for more complex dApps, but it will also necessitate more efficient coding practices to stay within the new, higher gas limits.
For the Future of Quantum Resistance
While there is growing pressure to integrate quantum-resistant features into the Ethereum protocol, the current strategy is to fold these into larger Account Abstraction packages. This implies that users should expect a "bundled" security upgrade rather than a standalone, dedicated quantum-fork, which would be far more disruptive to the ecosystem.
Conclusion: A Measured Pace
The transition from the rapid-fire deployment cycle of earlier upgrades to the more methodical approach of Glamsterdam and Hegotá signals the maturation of the Ethereum network. The technical challenges—particularly the implementation of ePBS—are formidable, but they are being met with a level of rigor that ensures the long-term viability of the network.
As we look toward the April 9th deadline for Hegotá proposals, the community is encouraged to utilize the new EIP Champions resources to ensure their ideas are well-formed and ready for consideration. While the timeline for the next mainnet fork remains fluid, the commitment to building a more scalable, secure, and user-centric Ethereum remains the singular, unifying objective of the core development community.
For those looking to stay in the loop, monitoring the upcoming ACD calls (specifically the ACDE series) will provide the most accurate, real-time insight into the stabilization of the Glamsterdam devnets and the finalization of the Hegotá feature set. The journey toward a more robust Ethereum is, as always, a marathon, not a sprint.
