Ethereum
Vitalik Buterin Solves Ethereum’s Gas Fee Problem
Arman Shirinian
The cryptocurrency network of the future could benefit from an entirely new gas management system
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Thanks to the ideas of Vitalik Buterin and contributions from experts like Ansgar Dietrichs, Barnabe Monnot and Davide Crapis, we become familiar with the concept of “multidimensional gas”. Traditionally, Ethereum uses a unit called “gas” to measure and price the computational effort required for transactions and operations. This includes calculations like addition and multiplication, managing data storage, bandwidth, and even complex processes like generating cryptographic proofs.
The recent proposal involves transitioning from a one-dimensional gas model to a multi-dimensional model, addressing inefficiencies related to treating different types of computing resources as equivalent. The current system, while simple, does not accurately reflect the different demands that different operations place on the network, which can lead to overuse or underuse of resources.
Buterin uses a simple diagram to explain that while the gas limit may suggest that a block can safely handle a certain amount of calculations and data, the reality of what is safe may be very different. This misalignment could potentially allow the creation of blocks that are either too safe and underutilized, or too risky and overloaded.
With the introduction of multidimensional gas on Ethereum via EIP-4844, the network can now process different types of requests more efficiently. This change has already started to bear fruit. Blobs, for example, will allow these rollups to operate at lower cost, by tripling the volume of transactions without significantly increasing the size of the blocks, thus preserving the security of the network.
The update also includes future improvements, such as better support for “stateless clients” – a new type of Ethereum client that does not need to store a complete copy of the blockchain. These customers rely heavily on evidence systems, and the current move toward multi-dimensional gas could facilitate smoother implementation of these systems by allowing the network to manage evidence more efficiently without compromising security or inflating costs for users.
This multidimensional approach allows Ethereum to fine-tune how it handles different resources, potentially increasing throughput without risking security. It is a sophisticated advancement in blockchain technology, promising to make Ethereum more scalable, efficient and ready to meet future demands.
About the Author
Arman Shirinian
Arman Shirinyan is a trader, crypto enthusiast and SMM expert with over four years of experience.
Arman strongly believes that cryptocurrencies and blockchain will be of constant utility in the future. Currently, it focuses on news, articles with in-depth analysis of crypto projects and technical analysis of cryptocurrency trading pairs.