According to U.Today, Vitalik Buterin has unveiled the next significant phase in Ethereum's (ETH) evolution, dubbed 'The Purge.' Buterin recently shared insights into ongoing efforts to simplify the Ethereum protocol while enhancing its security measures. At the core of this evolution is EIP-6780, a crucial improvement introduced in the Dencun hard fork. This enhancement aims to streamline the protocol by reducing the functionality of the SELFDESTRUCT opcode, thereby improving implementation efficiency and bolstering security measures.
The Purge initiative involves eliminating redundancies, reducing resource loads, and strengthening security protocols to enhance Ethereum's efficiency and resilience. Under The Purge, Ethereum clients have seen a significant reduction in code lines, with the removal of support for pre-merge (PoW) networks. Additionally, Ethereum's storage mechanism has been optimized, significantly reducing storage requirements for node operators.
Buterin also outlines potential areas for further refinement, including the revaluation of precompiles and the optimization of historical data storage. These steps aim to improve ETH's functionality while simultaneously reducing barriers to entry for node operators and developers. Furthermore, Buterin hints at the transition to SimpleSerialize (SSZ), a more efficient block structure, signaling a simpler and cleaner future for Ethereum's data management. The primary goal of 'The Purge' is to streamline Ethereum's architecture, reduce technical complexities, and enhance its scalability and decentralization. By prioritizing protocol simplification and security enhancements, Ethereum aims to solidify its position as a leading blockchain platform capable of supporting diverse decentralized applications and use cases.