🚀 Ethereum Pectra: The Plot Thickens! 🕵️‍♂️

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In a twist worthy of a Jeeves and Wooster episode, the eagerly awaited Ethereum Pectra mainnet upgrade has been pushed back from its April 2025 date.

This turn of events was announced during the 153rd All Core Developers Consensus Call (ACDC), a meeting so hush-hush you’d think it was about the secret recipe for Aunt Dahlia’s trifle.

Hoodi Testnet: The Sherlock Holmes of Ethereum

During the call, the brainy bunch behind Ethereum discussed the progress of Pectra with all the enthusiasm of a group of chaps discussing the weather at the Drones Club.

Rather than setting a date for the mainnet shindig, they’ve decided to keep an eagle eye on the upgrade’s performance on Hoodi, a testnet so new it’s still in its nappies. As Tim Beiko, the Ethereum Protocol Support Lead, hinted earlier, they’re playing it safe. You don’t want to jump into a cold pond without checking the temperature first, do you? 😅

“Pectra will be scheduled 30+ days after Hoodi forks successfully, pending infra and client testing. Fusaka planning will run in parallel, with a deadline of March 24 to propose EIPs, and a tentative date of April 10 for a scope freeze,” Beiko explained, as calmly as a man discussing the proper way to mix a martini.

So, the delay is about as surprising as finding a wasp in your picnic basket. Safety first, chaps!

The main reason for the postponement is the need for a thorough testing, akin to checking every last crumb in the cake before serving it at a tea party.

The upgrade will take its first wobbly steps on Hoodi on March 26, with developers watching like hawks to see if it can walk the walk before strutting its stuff on the mainnet stage.

And let’s not forget History Expiry, a cleanup process as crucial as tidying up after a particularly rowdy party. Linked to Ethereum Improvement Proposal 6110 (EIP 6110), it’s been put on the back burner for now, too.

With Pectra playing such a vital role, the delay is like having the butler take a holiday just when you need him most. Developers are now reconsidering the timeline with all the care of a man handling a priceless Ming vase.

For the moment, the focus is on ensuring Pectra passes its test on Hoodi with flying colors, which, let’s face it, is a bit more reliable than Sepolia, the testnet equivalent of a dodgy second-hand car.

“Sepolia’s Pectra upgrade hit a snag because a node didn’t upgrade in time—sounds trivial, but it’s a reminder: Ethereum’s decentralization is only as strong as its weakest operator. If one forgotten node can delay an upgrade, imagine what happens when real money is on the line,” one user quipped, probably while sipping a G&T.

Meanwhile, discussions about Ethereum’s next big bash, Fusaka, are in full swing. Developers are mulling over improvements like a chef pondering a new recipe for the perfect soufflé.

Although the Pectra delay is a bit of a damp squib, the developers are keen to stress that thorough testing is the name of the game. You don’t want to serve a half-baked cake to your guests, do you?

The Ethereum community will have to exercise a bit of patience, but rest assured, the upgrade remains the belle of the ball. A final decision on the mainnet launch date is just around the corner, as imminent as the arrival of the morning post.

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2025-03-21 14:12