Ethereum to Discontinue Holesky Testnet Support in September

Ethereum’s Testnet Evolution and Holesky’s Role

Holesky, launched in September 2023, was one of Ethereum’s two main testnets alongside Sepolia. It has played a crucial role in Ethereum’s development, serving as a key platform for staking, infrastructure, and protocol testing. However, like other testnets before it, Holesky will eventually be deprecated as part of Ethereum’s ongoing network evolution.

Disruptions During Pectra Upgrade Testing

Holesky faced significant disruptions while testing for Ethereum’s upcoming Pectra upgrade. The testing process revealed that the validator exit queue on Holesky remains congested, which limits its utility for specific community testing scenarios. Validators exiting the system will take approximately one year to complete the process, making it impractical for testing the Pectra upgrade efficiently.

Although Holesky continues to support some features, the congestion in the validator exit queue has hindered its ability to fully support Pectra testing. Ethereum developers have acknowledged this issue and are transitioning to a new solution to ensure continued progress.

Introduction of the Hoodi Testnet

To address the limitations of Holesky, Ethereum developers have introduced the Hoodi testnet, which will activate the Pectra upgrade on March 26, 2025. The Hoodi testnet is specifically designed to facilitate the testing of the Pectra upgrade and provide a smoother environment for validators and infrastructure providers.

The Ethereum Foundation has recommended that staking operators and infrastructure providers shift to Hoodi for validator testing. Hoodi will play a central role in the upcoming Ethereum upgrades, and it is set to continue supporting critical tests ahead of the mainnet release of Pectra in the second quarter of 2025.

Future Plans for Holesky and Ethereum Testnets

While Holesky will be deprecated by September 2025, it will remain operational for the short term. Ethereum developers plan to repurpose Holesky as a core developer testnet for various experimental projects, such as gas limit increases and protocol stress tests. This shift will allow Ethereum to continue utilizing the Holesky testnet for specific, technical purposes while moving away from its role in validator testing and public staking scenarios.

Key Takeaways

• The Holesky testnet will be phased out by September 2025, following disruptions during the Pectra upgrade testing.
• A new testnet, Hoodi, will be introduced to activate the Pectra upgrade on March 26, 2025.
• Hoodi will be used for validator testing, while Holesky may be repurposed for core developer experiments.
• The transition to Hoodi reflects Ethereum’s commitment to continuous improvement and preparation for the Pectra upgrade on the mainnet.

This move marks another step in Ethereum’s ongoing evolution and commitment to providing reliable, scalable infrastructure for developers and users alike. As Ethereum continues to grow and innovate, testnets like Hoodi will play a crucial role in ensuring the successful deployment of major network upgrades.