ETH devs implement first-ever ‘shadow fork’ as PoS testing continues

cointelegraph.com:

Ethereum developers implemented the network’s first-ever “shadow fork” on Monday, marking an important milestone in the ongoing shift to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus. 

The shadow fork provides a venue for developers to stress test their assumptions around the network’s complex shift to PoS, according to Ethereum Foundation developer Parithosh Jayanthi. “The aim of the Kiln merge testnet was to allow the community to practice running their nodes, deploying contracts, testing infrastructure, etc.,” he tweeted on Sunday.

Wondering what the #TestingTheMerge team has been up to? The aim of the Kiln merge testnet was to allow the community to practice running their nodes, deploying contracts, testing infrastructure, etc. We hope it's helping the community get a sense of the post merge world!

Kiln refers to the last testnet of the so-called merge, which involves transitioning Ethereum’s Execution Layer from proof-of-work to PoS. In a March 14 blog post, the Ethereum Foundation described the merge as a "culmination of six years of research and development" intended to make the network more secure and energy-efficient. 

Ethereum Foundation developer Marius van der Wijden confirmed on Monday that PoS testing was underway. “Today will be the first mainnet shadow fork ever. We're roughly 690 blocks (~2 h) away from TTD,” he tweeted.

We're very close to a historical event. We're testing PoS on #Ethereum. Today will be the first mainnet shadow fork ever. We're roughly 690 blocks (~2 h) away from TTD. Follow here: https://t.co/T20ZMgApYw or https://t.co/Uod8WBsqtwHuge props to @parithosh_j! #TestingTheMerge pic.twitter.com/M8ZcHnKqaL

Positive developments surrounding the merge have fed an increasingly bullish narrative for Ethereum —