EEP-5: Ethereum Hardfork Process

[5chdn]

This is work in progress. I'm planning to come up with a first draft soon.

---
EEP: 5
Title: Ethereum Hardfork Process
Authors: Afri Schoedon <afri@parity.io>
Status:  Draft
Version: 2018-12-31
Discuss: https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/eep-5-ethereum-hardfork-process-request-for-collaboration/2305
---

General outline:

• whereas EEP-1 defines distinct consensus updates, this is suggesting a framework for upgrading the Ethereum network
• this suggests moving from ad-hoc hardforking to fixed-schedule
• this defines a process with all required stages of hardforking:
  • gathering EIPs, deadline to accept them
  • proof-of-concept phase, deadline to implement them
  • testing phase, fuzzing the new code, deadline to update test suites
  • testnet rollout (ropsten, görli, or ad-hoc testnets)
  • mainnet rollout
• each stage should come with a best possible defined timeline and a set of conditions required to accept or postpone proposals
• WIP: open for comments, Forum: https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/eep-5-ethereum-hardfork-process-request-for-collaboration/2305

[axic]

Shouldn't this be merged with https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-233 ?

[5chdn]

That makes sense, yes. Do you mind if I join as a co-author on EIP-233?

[axic]

Sure! Assuming it is substantial changes to it 😉

[axic]

These were the changes I've started to add (but never finished/pushed) after the roundtable at Devcon2: https://github.com/axic/EIPs/commit/963c33492261dee43996fb4d008b6653ff1a19cc

The relevant part:

A hard fork should have a release cycle of 6 months split in the following cut off dates:

• end of 1st month: submission of proposed changes
• end of 3rd month: final decision of accepted changes
• end of 4th month: changes not implemented in all major (*) clients are dropped
• end of 5th month: changes deployed on a staging testnet

[axic]

Do you mind if I join as a co-author on EIP-233?

Actually to make it clear: I didn't create a PR to do it, but will approve if you push one to EIPs.