Kernel upgrades

This page lists the major updates to the Etherlink kernel.

Mainnet beta

The Mainnet beta was the final step before launching Etherlink. For more information, see Etherlink Mainnet Beta: Paving the Way to Launch

First kernel upgrade

The first upgrade to the Etherlink kernel went live on Etherlink Mainnet on 22 July 2024. It includes updates and improvements to Etherlink's support for EVM endpoints to make calling Etherlink more similar to calling any other EVM network. For more information, see The First Regular Upgrade for Etherlink: One Step Closer to Launch.

Bifröst upgrade

The Bifröst upgrade to the Etherlink kernel went live on Etherlink Mainnet on 7 November 2024. It adds support for bridging FA tokens from Tezos layer 1 to ERC-20 tokens on Etherlink and support for the callTracer tracer, which makes it possible for third-party tools like the Blockscout block explorer to index Etherlink transactions. For more information, see Announcing Bifröst: a 2nd upgrade proposal for Etherlink Mainnet.

Calypso upgrade

The proposed Calypso upgrade to the Etherlink kernel was installed on Etherlink Testnet on 17 February 2025.

This upgrade includes significant performance and reliability improvements, including:

• Caching in the virtual machine to improve read and write performance on storage indexes, leading to faster interaction with smart contracts
• Reduced disk footprint for Etherlink Smart Rollup nodes, which now store only the latest block in the Smart Rollup context; the full history remains available in Etherlink EVM nodes
• Updated governance contracts to align periods with Quebec changes in block time
• Events generated by the kernel to notify the sequencer of delayed transaction flushes, reducing downtime risks caused by unforeseen events

The upgrade also includes foundational work to the withdrawal precompiled contract that is a step toward allowing faster withdrawals from Etherlink to Tezos layer 1.

For more information, see Announcing Calypso: The Next Etherlink Upgrade Proposal

Changelog

For full details about changes to Etherlink, see Changelogs.