EF Protocol Releases Hegotá EIP Tier List
Ethereum Foundation evaluates 62 proposed EIPs for Hegotá.
1Introduction to the Hegotá EIP Tier List
The Ethereum Foundation's Protocol Cluster has published a unified tier list evaluating 62 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) for the Hegotá upgrade. This marks the first time the cluster has released a consolidated view rather than individual team opinions. The evaluation involved nine teams and several domain experts, resulting in 397 tier grades across the 62 EIPs.
2Collaborative Evaluation Process
The evaluation process involved nine teams and individual domain experts who filled out contribution templates. Twelve teams provided tier grades, focusing on EIPs where they had deep expertise. The process included group calls and a 90-minute working session to discuss contested items. Lessons from previous upgrades, such as Glamsterdam, were also considered.
3Scoring Methodology
Each contributor independently tiered each EIP using a scoring system: S = 4, A = 3, B = 2, C = 1, D/DFI = 0. The published tier is a 'steelman' version, starting from the grades and argued EIP-by-EIP in the working session. The scoring ladder commits the cluster to specific delivery expectations for each tier.
4Tier Definitions and Commitments
The tiered scoring ladder defines delivery expectations: S-tier EIPs must ship and define the fork. A-tier EIPs are high priority and expected to ship alongside S-tier. B-tier EIPs are on the bubble and considered individually. C-tier EIPs are below the line but not disqualified. DFI-tier EIPs are declined for inclusion with a structural rationale.
5Key S-tier EIP: FOCIL
FOCIL is a consensus layer headliner EIP, unanimously graded S-tier. It provides users a path to include eligible transactions without relying on centralized builders. FOCIL is expected to ship with EIP-8369, which defines transaction eligibility and validator verification requirements.
6A-tier EIP: Remove Deposit and eth1data Fields
This EIP removes deprecated deposit and eth1data fields with no downstream dependencies. It received near-unanimous support with an average grade of 3.14. The cleanup is considered a high-priority task for the Hegotá upgrade.
7B-tier EIP: Bundled Attestation Propagation
This EIP aims to reduce gossip load by bundling attestation propagation. It received an average grade of 2.43, with no grade below B. The bundling mechanics are settled in the specification, making it a strong candidate for reconsideration.
8C-tier EIP: Block Access List Sidecars
This EIP focuses on block propagation validation, keeping the payload independent of the Block Access List (BAL). It received an average grade of 2.13. The EIP requires settling the observation deadline in the specification to move up to A-tier.
9DFI-tier EIP: Declined Proposals
DFI-tier EIPs are declined for inclusion due to structural rationales such as being antithetical to CROPS, posing security risks, or breaking backward compatibility. Each DFI-tier EIP includes a detailed rationale explaining the decision.
10Lessons from Previous Upgrades
The evaluation process incorporated lessons from previous upgrades like Glamsterdam. Key takeaways include sizing EIPs by integration depth, recognizing that complexity compounds, and understanding that testing surface is a scarce resource. Champions often underestimate complexity, leading to delays.
11Future Considerations
The Hegotá tier list will be revisited once devnets with S and A-tier EIPs are functional and stable. B and C-tier EIPs will be reconsidered if time remains before moving to the next upgrade phase. The process emphasizes flexibility and adaptability.
12Conclusion and Importance
The Hegotá EIP tier list represents a significant step in Ethereum's development process. By providing a unified view and clear delivery expectations, the Ethereum Foundation aims to streamline the upgrade process and ensure that high-priority improvements are implemented effectively.
Original article: Ethereum Foundation Blog — EF Protocol Releases Hegotá EIP Tier List