What is an Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP)?

EIP stands for Ethereum Improvement Proposal. An EIP is a design document providing information to the Ethereum community, or describing a new feature for Ethereum or its processes or environment. The EIP should provide a concise technical specification of the feature and a rationale for the feature. The EIP author is responsible for building consensus within the community and documenting dissenting opinions.

There are three types of EIP:

• Standards Track EIP: Describes any change that affects most or all Ethereum implementations, such as a change to the network protocol, block or transaction validity rules, proposed application standards/conventions, or any change that affects interoperability of applications using Ethereum. Standards Track EIPs include:
  • Core: Improvements requiring a consensus fork (e.g., EIP-5, EIP-101), as well as changes relevant to “core dev” discussions.
  • Networking: Includes improvements to devp2p (e.g., EIP-8), the Light Ethereum Subprotocol, and network protocol specifications like Whisper and Swarm.
  • Interface: Includes language-level standards such as method names (e.g., EIP-6) and contract ABIs.
  • ERC: Application-level standards and conventions, including token standards (e.g., ERC-20), name registries (e.g., ERC-137), URI schemes, and wallet formats.
• Meta EIP: Describes a process surrounding Ethereum or proposes a change to (or an event in) a process. These EIPs apply to areas other than the Ethereum protocol itself and often require community consensus. Examples include procedures, guidelines, and tools used in Ethereum development.
• Informational EIP: Provides general guidelines or information to the Ethereum community but does not propose new features. Informational EIPs are non-binding recommendations and do not necessarily represent community consensus.

It is highly recommended that an EIP focuses on a single proposal or idea to ensure clarity and success. A clear and complete description of the proposed enhancement must be included, representing a net improvement without undue protocol complexity.

Special Requirements for Core EIPs: If a Core EIP mentions or proposes changes to the EVM, it should use instruction mnemonics and define opcodes, for example:

REVERT (0xfe)

EIP Workflow: Before drafting an EIP, it is crucial to vet the idea with the Ethereum community through platforms like the Ethereum Magicians forum. After obtaining feedback, the EIP author (or champion) must write the EIP, invite feedback from editors, developers, and the community, and gauge interest in the proposal.

• For Core EIPs, presenting them on an AllCoreDevs agenda can help gain client implementer support and coordinate implementation for network upgrades.
• Building community consensus is vital for the EIP process. Authors should ensure that discussions and feedback from stakeholders are well-documented and accessible.

The EIP process aims to foster collaboration and standardization, ensuring technical soundness and alignment within the Ethereum ecosystem.