Ethereum's Hegotá Upgrade: Separating Fact from Fiction
The Ethereum ecosystem is gearing up for its next major network upgrade, Hegotá. Scheduled to take place in 2027, this hard fork will bring significant changes to the protocol rules that every node on the network must adopt. However, recent reports have exaggerated the scope of the upgrade, suggesting 66 new features are being added when, in fact, only one proposal is firmly scheduled for inclusion.
The planning document maintained by Ethereum's core developers lists exactly one proposal, EIP-8081, as 'scheduled for inclusion.' This contrasts with the 37 proposals currently labeled as 'proposed for inclusion,' which means they have been submitted but not yet assessed. The meta document is a crucial resource for understanding the selection process and determining whether an announced feature will actually land in the network.
The upgrade's significance extends beyond developers, as it will affect everyone on the network, including validators and users who stake ETH. EIP-8061, for example, raises the ceiling on how many validators can exit or be consolidated per unit of time, impacting staking rewards and payout periods. As the activation date approaches, exchanges will announce maintenance windows to ensure their nodes are updated in time.
It's essential to note that not a single proposal has been rejected yet, indicating that the selection phase has only just begun. This means that out of the 37 submitted proposals, most will likely not make it into the upgrade. To navigate this complex process, developers and users can refer to EIP-7723, which outlines the four stages under Network Upgrade Inclusion Stages.