Ethereum Co-Founder Proposes Simplification for Enhanced Efficiency

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a significant update to the protocol’s long-term roadmap, advocating for the simplification of the ETH’s base protocol to enhance the network's efficiency and resilience. In a May 3rd blog post titled “Simplifying the L1,” Buterin emphasized the importance of simplicity in achieving scalability and resilience, drawing parallels with the straightforward design of the Bitcoin blockchain. He noted that even a smart high school student could fully understand the Bitcoin protocol, and a programmer could write a client as a hobby project.

Buterin highlighted that protocol simplicity offers numerous benefits, including reduced infrastructure costs, long-term maintenance expenses, and risks of bugs and malicious attacks. He believes that a simpler protocol ensures that blockchain networks remain a credibly neutral and globally trusted base layer. Buterin outlined three ways to achieve this simplicity within five years. The first involves optimizing the consensus layer, with a notable redesign of the 3-slot finality. The second approach focuses on simplifying the execution layer by replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with a new minimal virtual machine, such as RISC-V. However, Buterin acknowledged the challenge of balancing desired goals with preserving backward compatibility for existing applications.

The third method, which Buterin considers the most underrated, is to standardize protocols across different parts of the network. He argued that using different protocols for the same tasks in different places offers little to no benefit. Buterin concluded that simplicity is akin to decentralization, both of which are essential for achieving resilience in blockchains. This proposal aims to make the Ethereum network more efficient and resilient, aligning with the long-term goals of the protocol.

Ask Aime: What will Ethereum's simplification mean for retail investors?