Ethereum developers consider splitting Pectra hard fork

Ethereum developers are considering splitting the Pectra hard fork, according to research analyst Christine Kim. The idea of a split was mentioned in a recent call where developers discussed adding more Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) to the Pectra upgrade. This split had been previously discussed but was put aside due to concerns about delaying the Verkle fork. The Pectra hard fork aims to upgrade the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and change Ethereum’s programming space. In the call, the developers discussed the possibility of shipping the first fork by February 2025, which would include EIPs on devnet 3 such as set externally owned accounts code for one transaction, max effective balance, Move committee index, and supply validator deposits on chain. The second Pectra fork would include features such as EVM Object Format (EOF) and PeerDas. However, the decision on the split will be made in the next all-core developers’ execution call. The upcoming hard fork and the inclusion of EOF have sparked various opinions within the developer community. Some express concerns about the potential disruption to smart contracts and possible consequences, while others see it as a significant development that sets the pace for future upgrades and improvements to the EVM.