Block-Level Warming: Redefining Ethereum Transactions

Jump to Sections:

• What’s the Problem?
• The Block-Level Warming Solution
• Why Does This Matter?
• A Real-World Example
• Working and Technical Breakdown
• Compatibility & challenges

Hey there! Let’s talk about something cool happening in Ethereum's execution layer—block-level warming. Don’t worry, we’ll break it down step by step, so you can get a clear picture without feeling overwhelmed. It is a fascinating idea proposed by Toni Wahrstätter, Alex Stokes, and Ansgar Dietrichs. If you’re curious about making Ethereum more efficient, this one’s for you.

What’s the Problem?

Every time you send a transaction on Ethereum, the network does some behind-the-scenes heavy lifting. One of these tasks involves “warming up” addresses and storage keys. Think of it like this:

You walk into a room with a cold cup of coffee. Every time you want a sip, you need to reheat it. That’s what happens to storage data right now. Each transaction re-warms the data it needs, even if it was already accessed earlier in the same block. This process leads to redundant costs—kind of like reheating the same coffee multiple times. Inefficient, right?

The Block-Level Warming Solution

This is where block-level warming comes in. The idea is simple but powerful:

• Once a piece of data (like an address or storage key) is accessed during a block’s execution, it stays “warm” for the rest of the block.
• This eliminates the need to re-warm data for subsequent transactions in the same block. Think of it as keeping your coffee hot in an insulated mug—ready when you are, with no extra effort!

Why Does This Matter?

Here’s why this proposal is such a game-changer:

1. Reduced Gas Costs: By avoiding redundant warming, the network can save 5-6% in gas per transaction. For longer warming windows (e.g., 5 or 15 blocks), the savings could be as high as 10-15%.

2. Efficiency Gains: Modern Ethereum nodes already use caching to keep frequently accessed data handy. Block-level warming extends this efficiency, aligning gas costs more closely with actual computational work.

3. Better Throughput: With fewer computational resources wasted on repetitive tasks, the Ethereum network can process transactions more smoothly, improving overall performance.

Let’s Visualize: A Real-World Example

Imagine a blockchain game where hundreds of players interact with the same smart contract in rapid succession. With the current system, every interaction re-warms the same data over and over, wasting gas. Block-level warming fixes this by keeping the data warm for the entire block, making the game cheaper and faster for everyone.

How Does It Work?

The mechanics are straightforward:

1. When a transaction accesses an address or storage key for the first time in a block, it incurs a cold access cost.
2. If the same address or storage key is accessed again within the same block, it only incurs the cheaper warm access cost.
3. At the end of the block, everything resets—ready for the next block.

P: 9999

By:
- Toni Wahrstätter
-Alex Stokes
-Ansgar Dietrichs

🔗 https://t.co/hWGr2x47O5

This EIP proposes block-level warming for addresses and storage keys, allowing them to maintain their 'warm' status throughout an entire block's execution. This change aims to reduce…

— ethresearchbot (@ethresearchbot) January 15, 2025

Technical Breakdown

Ethereum clients already have caching mechanisms for storage access patterns at the block level. Block-level warming aligns gas costs with this caching. Here’s an example:

• Cold Access: First access to address A costs 2,100 gas.
• Warm Access: Subsequent access within the same block costs only 100 gas.

While this difference might seem small for one transaction, across thousands of transactions, the savings add up quickly.

What About Compatibility?

One of the coolest things about this proposal is that it doesn’t disrupt how Ethereum works today. It’s backward-compatible, meaning current transactions won’t see additional costs. Instead, it’s like an optional upgrade that makes the system more efficient without breaking anything.

The Bigger Picture: Multi-Block Warming

While this proposal focuses on single-block warming, there’s potential to extend this idea further:

1. Multi-Block Warming: Addresses and storage keys could stay warm across multiple blocks, saving even more gas.
2. Advanced Approaches: A ring buffer could track access over a specific number of blocks, unlocking even greater efficiency gains.

Challenges and Trade-Offs

While block-level warming is a great step forward, there are trade-offs:

• Simplicity vs. Fairness: The first transaction in a block bears the full warming cost, benefiting later transactions. An alternative approach could distribute costs more evenly but would add complexity.

• Backward Compatibility: Luckily, this proposal doesn’t disrupt existing functionality. Transactions will never pay more than they do today.

Why Should You Care?

Block-level warming is a smart optimization that could make Ethereum more efficient and cost-effective. By reducing redundant gas costs, we’re making the network faster and fairer for everyone. Even small changes in how we handle gas costs can lead to big improvements over time.

This is just the beginning—multi-block warming and other innovations could take this idea even further. So, keep an eye on this space; Ethereum is only getting better!

If you’re curious to learn more or want to dive into the technical details, check out the draft implementation on GitHub here.

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