Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of Ethereum, has suggested that the blockchain community should reconsider the design of the Ethereum network to make it more minimalist and efficient. In a blog post, Buterin proposed that Ethereum should simplify its protocol model, similar to Bitcoin's, to enhance efficiency, scalability, and security.
Acknowledging Ethereum's current complexity, Buterin cautioned that the intricate system could raise costs, hinder research efforts, and introduce significant bugs. He emphasized that the existing design concentrates control among a small group of advanced contributors, contradicting the network's decentralized principles.
To tackle these issues, Buterin recommended streamlining the protocol at all network layers over the next five years, drawing inspiration from Bitcoin. He highlighted the importance of simplicity in enhancing Ethereum's resilience, reducing costs, and attracting more developers.
Buterin stressed that simplicity should be a fundamental value alongside decentralization. He advised prioritizing design choices that promote clarity, robustness, and long-term sustainability.
Regarding reducing complexity, Buterin outlined three main areas for Ethereum to focus on. Firstly, he proposed modifications to the consensus layer, specifically simplifying the finality system and decreasing validators to enhance operational efficiency and consensus speed. By separating the consensus layer from the execution system, developers would have more flexibility for improvements without affecting core functionality.
Additionally, Buterin recommended revamping the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) by suggesting the adoption of RISC-V as a more straightforward and efficient computing architecture. He envisioned a future where developers could utilize RISC-V alongside the EVM for writing contracts, enhancing maintainability for future upgrades.
Furthermore, Buterin called for standardization across protocol components to minimize redundancy and enhance clarity within the network. By adopting one erasure code, serialization format, and Merkle tree instead of multiple protocols performing similar functions, Ethereum could streamline its operations and improve overall efficiency.