Unusual version number in Ethereum blocks: closer view
In recent weeks, I have noticed an unusual trend among some Ethereum blocks. Specifically, I noted that many blocks contain versions that do not comply with the traditional 0x10000000 or 0x20000000. In this article, we dive into what is behind this unexpected development and examine its consequences on blockchain ethereum.
What is the block number?
Before you dive into unusual versions, let’s quickly examine how blocks are structured in Ethereum. The block consists of several fields:
Timestamp: the time at which the block was created.
- “Hash”: Hash of the previous block (ie J. “Parent Hash”).
Merkle root: Merkle tree that contains links to transactions in the block.
- “Transactions”: List of all transactions in the block, including the sender-Receiver pairs and any additional relevant details.
Unusual versions of the version
Now let’s explore the specific example you mentioned: 0x3FFFE000 instead of 0x20000000. After a closer inspection, I noticed that this value appears to be a hexadecimal representation of the Ethereum address.
What does this mean?
In Ethereum, addresses are usually represented in a particular format:
0x ...
Where ... represents the hexadecimal digit sequence (usually up to 42 characters). However, some addresses have longer hex chains that may contain more rows or even a separate data block.
When I looked at this unusual address (3FFFe000), I found it to be an Ethereum address in its widespread form. The prefix 0x indicates a hexadecimal address representation.
Is this a mistake?
Although it may seem like an interesting and complex development, the answer lies elsewhere. In Ethereum 2.0 (also known as a balance), the “transaction fund” has undergone significant changes to improve scalability and usability. One of these changes is the introduction of “block numbers” that are not based on traditional time stamp or hash values.
In other words, the block numbers in Ethereum 2.0 will be generated by a combination of factors, including the number of transactions in the block and time stamp that is specific to each network instance (i.e., the blocks with versions of versions such as 3FFFE000 may not be inevitable anomalies or errors.
Conclusion
Although at first glance it may seem unusual, the presence of widespread hexadecimal addresses in certain blocks of Ethereum is actually a deliberate choice of design. As part of the ongoing development and improvement of Blockchain Ethereum, this unique feature has been introduced to increase its functionality and usability.
In short, while 0x3fffe000 can be an interesting anomaly, it is only a consequence of the development of the Ethereum network, not an error or a problem with the blockchain itself.