On Monday, Ethereum developers introduced a new test network named Hoodi, which will be utilized for the forthcoming ‘Pectra’ upgrade of the blockchain.
The Pectra upgrade is scheduled to launch on Hoodi on March 26, and if everything proceeds without issues, the much-anticipated upgrade should transition to Ethereum’s mainnet approximately 30 days later, as noted by the network’s core developers.
Hoodi was established after previous Pectra tests on Ethereum’s other test networks, Holesky and Sepolia, experienced failures in finalization due to configuration issues.
Test networks such as Holesky, Sepolia, and Hoodi are designed to replicate the main Ethereum network, providing developers with the opportunity to trial code modifications or significant upgrades like Pectra in a low-risk setting prior to mainnet deployment.
Originally, the Pectra upgrade was meant to be executed on Ethereum after those two earlier tests. Due to the complications faced, developers opted to create Hoodi to conduct another round of tests for the ambitious Pectra upgrade, which can also serve for future testing purposes.
Hoodi aims to replicate Ethereum’s mainnet, mirroring the same number of validators. During a recent Ethereum core developers call, Parithosh Jayanthi emphasized that Hoodi would thus serve as the testnet for Ethereum staking pools and node operators to evaluate their infrastructure.
In contrast, Holesky and Sepolia were developed with distinct objectives: Holesky has a larger validator set than Ethereum’s mainnet, intended to help address scalability challenges, while Sepolia functions as a closed network exclusively for developers, designed for application testing.
The Pectra upgrade introduces various enhancements aimed at making Ethereum more accessible and efficient for both developers and users. A notable feature involves the addition of “smart contract” functionalities that could allow wallets to handle gas fees in cryptocurrencies aside from ether (ETH).
Read more: Ethereum Developers Introduce New Testnet for Pectra Upgrade Following Previous Challenges