Ethereum Protocol Upgrade Process

Introduction

This document outlines the standardized procedures for Ethereum protocol upgrades, covering development networks (devnets), test networks (testnets), and mainnet. It includes security reviews, fork preparations, testing protocols, and communication strategies to enhance network security and stability.

Key Components of the Upgrade Process

1. Core Principles

• Timing Restrictions:

  • Avoid major holidays or events for upgrades.
  • No bundled upgrades; maintain a 14-day gap between testnet upgrades.

• Client Readiness:

  • Require 90% client consensus before proceeding.
  • Assess infrastructure needs with All Core Developers (ACD).

2. EIP Management

• Evaluation:

  • External audits for complex EIPs.
  • Compliance with EIP-7723 (e.g., test vectors).

• Deadlines:

  • Set cutoff dates for EIP inclusion.
  • Mandate additional testing for significant EIP changes.

3. Network-Specific Procedures

• Devnets:

  • Short-lived; focus on targeted testing and interoperability.

• Testnets:

  • 30-day buffer between client readiness and deployment.
  • Two successful testnet upgrades required before mainnet.

• Mainnet:

  • 30-day delay post-final testnet upgrade.
  • Mirror testnet validation steps.

👉 Explore Ethereum's upgrade history

Validation and Security

Internal Reviews

• Coordination:

  • Dedicated Discord channels per EIP.
  • Assign core developers to CFI/SFI EIPs.

• Goals:

  • Verify implementation accuracy.
  • Continuous security audits.

External Audits

• RFP Process:

  • Solicit proposals for third-party reviews.
  • Mandatory sign-off on findings.

Bug Bounty Integration

• EF Program:

  • Include upgrade-specific code at testnet readiness.

• Contests:

  • Post-review; end 3 weeks pre-mainnet.

Upgrade Verification

👉 Learn about Ethereum's security

Incident Response Plan

Team Roles

Severity Levels

• High: Chain splits, finality failure (immediate response).
• Medium: Partial outages (out-of-band fixes).
• Low: Minor bugs (next scheduled release).

Templates for Upgrades

## [Network] Upgrade Plan
### Team Assignments
| Client   | Lead       | Backup    |
|----------|------------|-----------|
| Geth     | Jane Doe   | John Smith|
### Validation Checklist
- [ ] EIP-XXXX functional tests
- [ ] 32-epoch stability check

FAQ

Q: How long does a typical upgrade take?

A: Minimum 30 days from testnet readiness to mainnet deployment.

Q: What happens if an upgrade fails?

A: Incident review initiated; next testnet delayed by ≥14 days.

Q: Are devnets mandatory?

A: No, but recommended for early-stage testing.

👉 Ethereum developer resources