The final dress rehearsal for Ethereum’s upcoming Pectra upgrade took place on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone as the blockchain prepares for its most substantial changes in over a year. This comprehensive test followed earlier issues with the Holesky and Sepolia test networks, which faced difficulties finalizing properly.
Given the challenges encountered in previous tests, the launch of the new Hoodi testnet offered developers and ecosystem players, especially staking providers, a critical opportunity to validate the upgrade before it is implemented on Ethereum’s mainnet.
The test involved deploying a series of code modifications intended to enhance the user-friendliness of Ethereum for both end-users and developers alike. Notable among these changes is the addition of smart contract functionality to wallets, enabling developers to innovate with features such as the ability to pay transaction fees in various cryptocurrencies, not just ether (ETH).
Testnets like Hoodi serve as replicas of the main blockchain, allowing developers to execute and troubleshoot significant code alterations in a risk-free environment. This process helps to identify and rectify any bugs before they can impact the mainnet.
Hoodi represents the last of three testnets that conducted simulations for the Pectra upgrade. Developers indicated that if the results of Wednesday’s test were favorable, they would monitor the upgrade for approximately 30 days, paving the way for its eventual activation on Ethereum’s mainnet.
To learn more about the new Hoodi testnet, read the detailed article here: Hello, Hoodi: Ethereum Welcomes a New Testnet
