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The Ethereum Network is about to get an upgrade. Block Number 7,080,000 is the expected date. Wednesday, January 16, 2019. The exact date may change due to blackout times. It could go live as early as 1-2 days before or later. You can monitor the network’s progress at https://amberdata.io/blocks/7080000. You can also track updates in real-time http://forkmon.ethdevops.io/.
What Is This Update Called?
This Network upgrade is called Constantinople. Previous updates include spurious dragon and Byzantium.
What Should I Do?
If you use an exchange (such as Coinbase, Kraken or Binance), a web wallet service (like Metamask, MyCrypto or MyEtherWallet), a mobile wallet service (like Coinbase Wallet, Status.im or Trust Wallet), or a hardware wallet (such as Ledger, Trezor, KeepKey or any other exchange) you don’t need to take any action unless it is necessary for your wallet.
What If I’m a Miner/Node Operator?
Download the most up-to-date version of your Ethereum client: geth, Parity, and Harmony.
What If I Don’t Participate In The Upgrade?
If your client isn’t upgraded to the latest version (mentioned above), the client will sync the pre-fork Blockchain when the update occurs. This will make you stuck in an incompatible chain which will stop you from sending ether or trading. You won’t be able to access the Ethereum Network post-update.
What Are The Changes Being Made?
The changes being made to the network are called Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs). These are used to describe standards for the Ethereum platform, including core protocol specifications, client interfaces, and contract standards. The following EIPs are being implemented in Constantinople.
EIP 145 Bitwise Shift Instructions In EVM
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Native bit-shifting is offered at a comparable cost to other arithmetic operations.
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The EVM doesn’t support bitwise shifting operators, but supports other logical/arithmetic operations. Shift operations can also be done with arithmetic operators, but it is more expensive and takes longer. Implementing the SHL/SHR instructions use 3 gas and cost 35 gas each.
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In short: this EIP is a native function that makes bit-shifting more efficient on the Ethereum Virtual Machine.
The Ethereum Foundation recently announced their upcoming Constantinople update which will be implemented in the near future. This update includes several Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) which will make certain operations on-chain easier and more cost-effective.
EIP 1014 Skinny CREATE2 – This EIP introduces a new opcode which allows interactions with addresses that are not yet in the chain. This means that users can trust that the code created using startup software is valid. This will open up new opportunities for state channel use cases that involve counterfactual interactions with contracts.
EIP 1052 EXTCODEHASH – This opcode returns the Keccak256 hash of a contract code. This will allow contracts to verify the bytecode of another contract, as well as whitelisting any contract matching the specified bytecode. This is more affordable than the current EXTCODECOPY opcode, particularly for large contracts.
EIP 1283 Net Gas Measurement For SSTORE – This EIP proposes changes for the SSTORE opcode in net gas metering. This will enable contract storage and lower excess gas prices when it is not compatible to the operation of most implementations.
EIP 1234 Constantinople Block Reward Adjustment – This EIP proposes to delay the difficulty bomb for approximately 12 months and reduce block rewards to make up for the ice-age delay. This will prevent the blockchain’s freezing until proof-ofstake has been implemented.
The Ethereum Foundation would like to thank all Ethereum developers, platforms, and all clients for coming together to share their thoughts and feedback. Special thanks to Reddit user cartercarlson for allowing us to use his Reddit post and Medium post “Ethereum Constantinople: Everything You Need To Know”.
DISCLAIMER: This is an emerging and highly technical space. You can apply the tips in this article, but it is important to fully comprehend its implications. You are responsible for any consequences if you do not follow the recommendations. These recommendations are not for sale and do not offer warranties, even those that are related to the Ethereum network or the Ethereum clients.