---
tags: eth2devs
description: Notes from the regular Eth2 implementers call
image: https://benjaminion.xyz/f/favicon-96x96.png
---

# Eth2 Implementers’ Call #58 - 2021-02-25
[Quick contemporaneous notes by Ben Edgington]

Agenda: https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-pm/issues/206
Livestream: https://youtu.be/yrDVhoTg5XU

## Client updates

**Prysm**
Biggest improvement is to performance of anti-slashing data handling. See Raul's [blog post](https://rauljordan.com/2021/02/18/when-a-solution-is-right-in-front-of-your-eyes.html). Updated a Geth dependency around networking. Almost done with the Eth2 API implementation. Started HF1 planning.

**Teku**
Migrating logic and constants in prep for HF1. Testing out LevelDB due to memory issues with RocksDB.

One of the Teku bootnodes ENR has changed.

Now have the ability to add validators without restarting. Halved the time to load validator keys.

[Release 21.2.0](https://github.com/ConsenSys/teku/releases/tag/21.2.0) out today.

**Lighthouse**
Added support for queueing and processing early arriving blocks. The slahing protection DB is now pruned. Three releases published. Still analysing cause of incorrect head votes (affects several clients).

**Nimbus**
Main points are here: https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/releases/tag/v1.0.8

**Lodestar**
Adding HF1 config and SSZ types, along with protoype Phase 1 types. Protoyping multi-proof support and including in SSZ library. Release due on Monday.

## Upgrade 1

### Status/Plan

Danny's [planning notes](https://notes.ethereum.org/@djrtwo/hf1-plan).

Looking to get a spec pre-release done and test vectors soon. Iterate based on feedback from clients. Then do a full release with all of the network and validator specs. Move to testnets and iterate. Work up from small/single client to large/multiclient testnets, and test forking process. There might be a public version at some point.

A "mainnet spec release" will include fork epochs for Pyrmont and Mainnet. Work is ongoing on testing for forking, and fork choice.

Planning target is June for HF1 - after Eth1 Berlin, before Eth1 London.

[Jacek] Good to make HF1 a target for no longer requiring sync from Genesis.

### Naming

[Hsiao-Wei] There is an issue on GitHub for naming ideas. Got 42 proposals - here's a [summary](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vhZTXcTRlFvOOFTXpeD-S52-hK3F6Huq-vp-26YeWJI/edit#gid=0). There is a clear winner of "star names" among Eth2 devs.

[Patricio from EthStaker/POAP] POAPs provide a means to vote on things like this. It's a nice test case for decentralised, non-binding governance. Proposal to use [POAP.vote](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_D5EwusPvG0jcVXCcq52gthH7FRJrudHfql1G29w-Tk/edit#slide=id.g656e31850d_0_0) to poll those running validators, via the NFT dataset of 2000 validators. Highly sybil resistant. Might not be right for the naming choice, but facility is available if people are interested. May be useful to gain input on contentious topics.

Contact Hsiao-Wei if any thoughts. Looking to decide on naming within the next day or so. [Carl B] Voting on *every* name is likely to be cumbersome in future, so best avoided.

## Pyrmont load/new testnet?

The number of validators on Pyrmont is only slightly more than Mainnet. Unless it grows at least as fast as Mainnet it will no longer be a useful load test environment. This means that the queue for Pyrmont needs to be permanently full, which is a problem for users who want to make short tests. Could leave some queue capacity for users, but this all requires maintenance and management. In any case, it will only ever manage to be a little larger than Mainnet (though the queue constant could be forked to allow it to grow quicker).

Alternative is to start another testnet, with say 200k - 250k validators. Can keep Pyrmont running in parallel, at a similar size to Mainnet for reliable user testing. Also note that Eth2 deposits are slowing down right now, although some big outfits (e.g. Coinbase) will be coming soon.

Both options have overheads.

General feeling seems to be towards standing up a new testnet with >200k validators. We'll coordinate outside the call.

## Research Updates

There was a stateless call recently to discuss Verkle trees. Potentially useful for the future. (Danny can provide a link to the video.)

**Mikhail**
Regarding the Merge: there is [updated beacon chain spec](https://hackmd.io/@n0ble/executable_beacon_chain) including the Merge proposal. Plan to migrate to the specs repo in due course. Please add comments and feedback. Some feedback already received has been incorporated. E.g. terminology around Eth1/Eth2 - we should all be mindful of this.

Once in the specs repo, it will be executable and can have test vectors to aid implementation.

**Vitalik**
Proposal on ethresear.ch around [state-expiry](https://ethresear.ch/t/resurrection-conflict-minimized-state-bounding-take-2/8739/2).

Timing of any Verkle tree implementation is mostly independent of the Merge. Probably wouldn't do them simultaneously, however. [Dankrad] Likely more than 12 months to get the whole stateless Verkle tree apparatus into clients, but a basic implementation could be quicker.

## Spec discussion

There is a PR by Vitalik that changes empty epoch transition processing to only every 64 epochs. Also does per-validator inactivity leak tracking. Has received mixed feedback so far. [Cleaned up version](https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs/pull/2212). **Action: please review and give feedback**

## Open discussion

No.

* * *

# Chat highlights

From danny to Everyone: 02:03 PM
: https://youtu.be/yrDVhoTg5XU
https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-pm/issues/206

From Terence(prysmatic labs) to Everyone: 02:03 PM
: https://rauljordan.com/2021/02/18/when-a-solution-is-right-in-front-of-your-eyes.html

From Mamy to Everyone: 02:09 PM
: Main points are here: https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/releases/tag/v1.0.8

From danny to Everyone: 02:09 PM
: https://notes.ethereum.org/@djrtwo/hf1-plan

From Hsiao-Wei Wang to Everyone: 02:17 PM
: summary of all candidates: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vhZTXcTRlFvOOFTXpeD-S52-hK3F6Huq-vp-26YeWJI/edit#gid=0

From Patricio Worthalter to Everyone: 02:20 PM
: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_D5EwusPvG0jcVXCcq52gthH7FRJrudHfql1G29w-Tk/edit#slide=id.g656e31850d_0_0
www.poap.vote

From Hsiao-Wei Wang to Everyone: 02:24 PM
: Beacon Chain Genesis Depositor: https://poap.gallery/event/661

From Mikhail Kalinin to Everyone: 02:44 PM
: https://hackmd.io/@n0ble/executable_beacon_chain

From danny to Everyone: 02:48 PM
: https://ethresear.ch/t/resurrection-conflict-minimized-state-bounding-take-2/8739/2

From Alex Stokes to Everyone: 02:54 PM
: https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs/pull/2192
https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs/pull/2212