Danksharding and Proto-danksharding Explained
Key Takeaways
• Danksharding enhances Ethereum's scalability by allowing large data blobs to be attached to blocks, supporting millions of transactions per second.
• Proto-danksharding serves as a crucial intermediate step, enabling temporary storage of data blobs to improve Layer 2 transaction efficiency.
• The implementation of Danksharding and Proto-danksharding aims to lower transaction fees and increase transaction speed, fostering the growth of new decentralized applications.
Ethereum has long been recognized as the backbone of decentralized applications (dApps) and DeFi, but it has also faced persistent challenges around scalability, transaction speed, and high gas fees. Two of the most significant technological breakthroughs targeting these issues are Danksharding and Proto-danksharding. This article unpacks what they are, how they work, and the impact they will have on the blockchain ecosystem.
What Is Danksharding?
Danksharding is an innovative rollup-centric scaling solution on Ethereum, designed to drastically increase transactional throughput and enable hundreds of rollups to efficiently post data to the mainnet. Unlike traditional sharding, which physically partitions the blockchain, Danksharding focuses on enhancing data availability by attaching large “blobs” of data to each block, making the network capable of supporting millions of transactions per second in the future. This shift is central to Ethereum’s next major scaling phase, known as “The Surge”
Learn more about Danksharding on Ethereum.org.
A key differentiator is Danksharding’s compatibility with Layer 2 rollup technologies. Rollups bundle many transactions into a single proof and post it to Ethereum, significantly reducing costs and congestion. However, over 90% of current rollup transaction costs still go towards posting data to the Ethereum mainnet. Danksharding will allow these bundles, or “blobs,” to be temporarily available without forever burdening the mainnet’s storage, thereby making rollups faster and cheaper
See IQ.wiki's Danksharding explanation.
The Path to Full Danksharding: Proto-danksharding
Full Danksharding is a massive upgrade and will take years to implement. As a crucial stepping stone, Proto-danksharding (also known as EIP-4844) was introduced to bring immediate scalability improvements while laying the groundwork for the final system.
With Proto-danksharding, Ethereum blocks can temporarily store up to 6 data blobs, which Layer 2 solutions can use to post transaction data more efficiently. The innovation here is the use of “blobs” that are pruned after a limited period, thus reducing the long-term storage requirements for each node on the network. This advancement became a reality with the Dencun upgrade in March 2024, marking a critical milestone for Ethereum’s scalability roadmap.
Proto-danksharding paved the way for new functionalities:
- Lower transaction fees for rollup users
- Faster transaction finality
- A foundation for stateless clients and enhanced lightweight nodes
For an in-depth dive into Proto-danksharding, check out PixelPlex’s article on Proto-danksharding.
How Does Danksharding Work?
The essence of Danksharding lies in expanding the number of data blobs attached to each block. Proto-danksharding supports 6 blobs per block; in full Danksharding, this number jumps to 64, making vast amounts of space available for rollups. This is accomplished using a cryptographic method called the KZG polynomial commitment scheme, which allows the network to efficiently verify large data blobs without needing to store every byte forever
See this technical explanation of KZG commitments.
Complementary upgrades are also required, such as:
- Proposer-Builder Separation: A structure where block construction and block proposal are handled by different validators, increasing fairness and reducing MEV (miner extractable value).
- Data Availability Sampling: Allows light clients to confidently verify that blob data is truly available without downloading the entire dataset. This is crucial for decentralized security and scalability
More on data availability sampling.
Why Does Danksharding Matter?
Ethereum’s popularity has resulted in network congestion and high gas fees, especially during periods of high demand. Users and developers have long sought solutions that would:
- Lower transaction fees for end users
- Enable faster and more predictable transaction times
- Support the growth of new use cases such as advanced DeFi protocols, NFTs, and on-chain games
Danksharding is a direct answer to these needs. By optimizing data posting for rollups and making data availability more efficient, Ethereum’s ecosystem becomes much more accessible and scalable
IQ.wiki’s Danksharding overview.
Current Status and Roadmap
Proto-danksharding is live on Ethereum mainnet thanks to the Dencun upgrade. Full Danksharding will roll out over the coming years, involving further consensus upgrades and wider adoption of data blobs by Layer 2 networks. The ongoing evolution will enable Ethereum to scale towards millions of transactions per second while keeping node operation practical and decentralized
See Ethereum’s official roadmap.
What Does This Mean for Users and Security?
As scaling solutions mature, user assets—whether held directly on Ethereum or on Layer 2s—depend on the integrity and security of the underlying blockchain. Hardware wallets like OneKey are designed to safeguard private keys completely offline, protecting users even as transaction volumes and on-chain activity grow. As innovations like Danksharding and Proto-danksharding reshape the landscape, secure self-custody tools remain essential for anyone actively managing crypto assets.
OneKey’s commitment to robust, user-friendly hardware makes it a top choice for navigating the future of blockchain—whether you’re interacting with Layer 2 rollups, experimenting with on-chain games, or simply holding ETH long-term. As Ethereum becomes more scalable and efficient, storing your assets securely is more important than ever.
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