Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has unveiled a bold initiative to streamline Ethereum’s core protocol, aiming to align its simplicity with that of Bitcoin while retaining its advanced functionalities. In his recent blog post, “Simplifying the L1,” Buterin critiques Ethereum’s escalating complexity, attributing it to challenges in maintenance, increased susceptibility to bugs, and barriers for new developers. He proposes a multi-year roadmap to reduce the “consensus-critical” codebase, thereby enhancing the network’s resilience and accessibility.

Central to Buterin’s proposal is the overhaul of Ethereum’s consensus layer. He introduces the “3-slot finality” model, designed to replace intricate components like epochs, sync committees, and validator shuffling. This new model aims to simplify the consensus mechanism, making it more understandable and reducing the potential for errors.

On the execution front, Buterin advocates for transitioning from the current Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to a simpler, open-standard virtual machine such as RISC-V. This shift is expected to enhance performance, particularly for zero-knowledge proofs, and reduce code complexity. To maintain backward compatibility, he suggests running the existing EVM alongside the new virtual machine during the transition period.

Additionally, Buterin calls for standardizing various aspects of Ethereum’s infrastructure, including serialization formats and tree structures, to minimize redundancy and streamline development. He emphasizes that simplifying the protocol will not only reduce maintenance costs and the risk of bugs but also democratize participation in Ethereum’s development and governance.

This initiative reflects a strategic pivot towards a more sustainable and inclusive Ethereum ecosystem, ensuring that its foundational layer remains robust and accessible as the platform continues to evolve.

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