Ethereum is an open-source, decentralized blockchain platform that was introduced in 2015.
Blockchain network gives developers the ability to create smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Because of its security, scalability, and flexibility, Ethereum has grown to become one of the most widely used blockchain platforms. Since its introduction, Ethereum development has altered the trajectory of the blockchain ecosystem.
Let’s discuss the top 10 Ethereum developments
1. Ethereum’s launch
The blockchain industry saw a major development with the launch of Ethereum in 2015. On top of its blockchain network, it was the first blockchain platform that let programmers create decentralized apps and smart contracts. With the introduction of Ethereum, a plethora of blockchain-based projects and decentralized applications became possible that are still in use today.
2. Solidity’s Introduction
Solidity is a contract-oriented programming language made especially for Ethereum blockchain smart contract development. Since its introduction in 2015, it has grown to be the most widely used programming language for creating Ethereum smart contracts. On the Ethereum blockchain, Solidity has made it simpler for developers to create intricate smart contracts.
3. Creation of the ERC20 Standard
On the Ethereum blockchain, tokens are created and used using to ERC20 token development technical standard. Since its introduction in 2015, it has grown to be Ethereum’s most widely used token standard. Many new blockchain-based projects have been sparked by the ERC-20 standard, which has made it simpler for developers to create their own tokens on Ethereum.
4. Ethereum Virtual Machine Development
On the Ethereum blockchain, smart contracts are carried out by the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), a decentralized runtime environment. Since its introduction in 2015, it has grown to be a crucial component of the Ethereum network. On the Ethereum blockchain, developers can now create sophisticated decentralized apps and smart contracts thanks to the EVM.
5. Proof of Stake Introduction
Ethereum uses the Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm to approve transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain. It was unveiled in 2017 as a substitute for Bitcoin’s Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm. PoS is superior to PoW in many ways, such as lower energy consumption, less centralization, and better scalability.
6. The Ethereum Name Service was introduced
Users can register human-readable names for Ethereum addresses through the decentralized Ethereum Name Service (ENS). Since its introduction in 2017, it has grown to be a crucial component of the Ethereum network. By streamlining the sending and receiving of Ethereum transactions, the ENS has facilitated user interaction with the Ethereum blockchain.
7. Raiden Network Development
An Ethereum blockchain layer-two scaling solution is the Raiden Network. Since its introduction in 2017, it has grown in significance for the Ethereum ecosystem. Developers have found it easier to create decentralized applications thanks to the Raiden Network’s ability to facilitate quick, affordable, and scalable transactions on the Ethereum blockchain.
8. Ethereum Improvement Proposal Process Introduction
Developers can suggest enhancements to the Ethereum platform through the community-driven Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) process. Since its introduction in 2015, it has grown in significance within the Ethereum network. The Ethereum Platform Improvement Process (EIP) has enabled developers to participate in the platform’s development and has resulted in numerous significant platform enhancements.
9. Ethereum 2.0 Upgrade Development
An important turning point in the evolution of the Ethereum network has been reached with the release of the Serenity update for Ethereum 2.0. It seeks to enhance security while resolving some of the scalability and energy efficiency problems with the existing Ethereum network.
The introduction of a new consensus mechanism, known as Proof of Stake (PoS), to replace the existing Proof of Work (PoW) mechanism is one of the main changes in Ethereum 2.0. Unlike PoW, which requires miners to carry out difficult mathematical calculations, PoS is a more energy-efficient consensus method. Rather, Proof of Stake (PoS) depends on validators to confirm transactions and append fresh blocks to the blockchain. Validators must put up a specific amount of As collateral, validators must stake a certain amount of Ether (ETH), which they must forfeit if they act maliciously.
The addition of shard chains to Ethereum 2.0 is another significant modification. All nodes in the current Ethereum network are required to process every transaction because it functions as a single chain. This restricts the network’s capacity to grow and may result in expensive gas costs when network traffic is at its peak. Conversely, shard chains enable the network to be divided into smaller chains, each of which is capable of handling transactions on its own. As a result, the network can handle more transactions, increasing its scalability and lowering gas costs.
Ethereum WebAssembly, or eWASM, is a brand-new virtual machine that will be included in Ethereum 2.0 with the goal of enhancing the effectiveness of smart contract execution. Compared to the current Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), eWASM is more effective and adaptable, and it will allow programmers to create smart contracts using a larger variety of programming languages.
Phases of the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade are being carried out, with new features and enhancements added at each stage. The Ethereum 2.0 network’s backbone, the Beacon Chain, was first introduced in Phase 0, which debuted in December 2020. In addition to overseeing the shard chains and validators, the Beacon Chain is in charge of maintaining network consensus.
Phase 1 is anticipated to go live in 2021 and bring shard chains, which will increase the network’s transaction processing capacity. Additional network enhancements, such as smart contract execution on shard chains, will be implemented in Phase 2.
10. Templates for Smart Contracts
Developers can create smart contracts on the Ethereum network more easily with the help of pre-built code templates called smart contract templates. The time and effort needed to create smart contracts can be decreased by customizing and modifying these templates to fit various use cases.