Ethereum developers have launched Plataberget – a new test network to test the upcoming large‑scale Glamsterdam upgrade. It will run for several months and should help identify problems before the changes are moved to Ethereum’s main test networks, such as Sepolia and Hoodi. Special attention will be paid to changes in gas costs, the operation of wallets and other infrastructure, as well as the new block creation mechanism. Plataberget’s transition to Glamsterdam is scheduled for August 20. Until that time, node operators, validators, and service developers will be able to prepare for the innovations. After testing on Plataberget, the team plans to create another network to test complex issues in the block confirmation mechanism, and only after stabilization will the update be moved to the main network.

One of the main changes in Glamsterdam will be a review of the cost of operations, which is necessary to process a larger volume of transactions. Because of this, programs with a fixed maximum gas limit may stop working, including some wallets, data viewing services, and fee calculation tools. The principle for calculating the cost of individual operations will also change: a regular Ether transfer to an existing account will still cost 21,000 gas units, while a transfer to a new address will be more expensive due to the additional costs of creating a record in the network state. In addition, the update will increase the maximum size of smart contracts from 24 to 64 kibibytes, and the maximum size of the source code for creating them from 48 to 128 kibibytes. Another major change will affect the block creation process: Ethereum will separate the roles of participants who propose and form blocks, which will require updating the corresponding software.

The Plataberget network has an open set of validators, which allows anyone to make a test deposit and test the operation of their own infrastructure. Developers are particularly encouraged to test their wallets, programs for viewing blockchain data, fee calculation tools, validator software, solutions for joint staking management, and their own decentralized applications. Participants will be able to add the network via a special page and receive test ether to pay for fees. It should be recalled that it was previously reported that Ethereum plans to change its cryptographic strategy after years of research into the Poseidon hash function.