• Ethereum developers have started to refer to the blockchain’s upcoming hard fork as “Shapella.”
• The upgrade consists of two layers: Shanghai for the execution layer and Capella for the consensus layer.
• The merging of the two names to “Shapella” is a clever way of referring to the whole upgrade.
What Is Shapella?
Ethereum developers have started to refer to the blockchain’s upcoming hard fork – a key upgrade – as “Shapella.” This name is cleverly derived from Shanghai, which is technically only on the execution side of Ethereum, and Capella, which is simultaneously happening on the consensus side.
Ethereum Layers Explained
To understand what Shapella is, one needs to understand Ethereum prior to when it went through its last upgrade: the Merge. Prior to this, Ethereum’s proof-of-work blockchain was also known as its execution (application) layer. When it shifted towards proof-of-stake (PoS), this became known as its consensus layer. To make things easier for developers, they decided to merge these two chains together – hence why it’s known as the Merge.
Why Is It Called Shapella?
The reason why Shapella has become an important term in crypto and Web3 circles is due to its combination of both Shanghai and Capella – thus giving us Shapella. As mentioned earlier, Shanghai pertains only to the execution layer while Capella pertains only to the consensus layer; combining them into one word refers simultaneously refers to both upgrades that will be taking place soon.
When Will Shapella Take Place?
Shapella is expected by next month – though there is no exact date yet on when this will happen. However, given that Ethereum continues pushing forward with their plans for an upgraded protocol (including Layer 2 solutions such as Optimistic Rollups) one can expect that news regarding Shapella will arrive soon enough!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Shapells refers specifically towards a combination of both Shanghai and Capellla – two separate upgrades happening in Ethereum soon that are aimed at improving overall protocol performance and scalability. Developers are cleverly combining both names into one term so that people easily remember what exactly this hard fork entails!
