Vitalik Proposes New Node Model to Boost Ethereum Decentralization

Vitalik, the co-founder of Ethereum, has published an article on the ethresear forum, outlining a new node model designed to encourage individual users to run a local node. The article, posted on May 19, discusses strategies to scale the Ethereum main chain (Layer 1, L1) while reducing the difficulty of running a full node, particularly for individual users. This initiative aims to maintain decentralization and user privacy within the Ethereum network.

The proposed strategy is multi-faceted, addressing both short-term and long-term solutions. In the short term, the article suggests implementing EIP-4444, distributed storage, and gas price adjustments. These measures are intended to reduce the resource requirements for running an Ethereum full node, thereby making it more accessible for individual users. Medium-term solutions include stateless validation, which allows nodes to validate blocks without needing to store the entire state of the blockchain. Long-term measures involve the development of partially stateless nodes, which store only a subset of the state relevant to the user, further reducing the resource burden.

One of the key innovations discussed in the article is the concept of Partially Stateless Nodes. These nodes perform stateless validation of blocks and validate the entire chain, either through stateless validation or ZK-EVM. However, they only store a subset of the state relevant to the user. This approach allows nodes to respond to RPC requests involving this subset of state, while other requests may fail or fall back to an external cryptographic solution. This model not only helps with L1 scalability but also preserves Ethereum's decentralization and user privacy, avoiding overreliance on centralized RPC providers or costly cryptographic solutions.

By encouraging individual users to run local nodes, Vitalik's proposal aims to enhance the decentralization of the Ethereum network. This decentralization is crucial for maintaining the network's security and resilience against potential attacks or failures. Additionally, by reducing the resource requirements for running a full node, the proposal makes it more feasible for a broader range of users to participate in the network, further strengthening its decentralized nature.

Overall, Vitalik's article presents a comprehensive strategy for scaling the Ethereum main chain while ensuring that individual users can easily run local nodes. This approach not only addresses the technical challenges of scalability but also reinforces the core principles of decentralization and user privacy that are fundamental to the Ethereum network. The proposed measures, if implemented, could significantly enhance the network's robustness and accessibility, paving the way for broader adoption and participation.