YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced “The Purge” to tackle Ethereum’s data bloat and reduce storage demands. This initiative focuses on simplifying node storage while maintaining Ethereum’s network integrity, with no immediate changes to Ethereum gas fees.
Reducing Data Requirements: Vitalik Buterin’s Vision for Ethereum Nodes
In the fifth entry of his blog series, Buterin outlines how The Purge could ease storage burdens on Ethereum nodes. Currently, a fully synchronized Ethereum node requires over 1.17 terabytes of storage due to historical data accumulation. The Purge seeks to lower these high storage requirements, thus reducing barriers for new nodes joining the network.
Under Buterin’s plan, Ethereum could eventually eliminate the need for each node to store all network history. Although Ethereum gas fees won’t change immediately, reduced data demands might lead to lower operational costs in the future. By minimizing the storage needs, The Purge aims to make it easier for individual nodes to operate efficiently without extensive data loads.
Tackling State Expansion: The Need for Partial State Expiry
A significant element of The Purge is managing Ethereum’s growing state. Currently, every new state object in the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) remains permanently accessible, contributing to the network’s continuous growth. Buterin explains that this growth presents challenges, as the EVM is built around the expectation that state data is always available.
To address this, Buterin proposes a “partial state expiry” model. This model would phase out certain state data over time, especially those accessed infrequently, while retaining essential data. Through cryptographic proofs, expired data could be restored if necessary, ensuring that network functionality remains intact while managing data expansion.
Stateless Verification: The Verge’s Role in Ethereum’s Accessibility
Additionally, Buterin’s vision aligns The Purge with The Verge upgrade, introduced on Oct. 23. The Verge brings “stateless verification” to Ethereum, allowing nodes to verify blocks without heavy data storage requirements, thus broadening accessibility across the network.
Moreover, stateless verification lowers hardware requirements for node verification, making it possible for devices like mobile wallets, browsers, and even smartwatches to connect to the network. Above all, this approach supports Ethereum’s scalability, making node operation accessible without extensive storage demands.
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