Vitalik proposes ‘Lean Ethereum’ to Simplify and Secure Ethereum

Lean Ethereum Roadmap Aims to Simplify and Secure Ethereum

Ethereum researchers, including Vitalik Buterin, have proposed a "Lean Ethereum" roadmap to address layer-1 complexity while enhancing security. The concept focuses on three targets: security, simplicity, and optimality. Key goals include:

• Security: Implement post-quantum-ready signatures and reworked data availability to protect against future cryptographic threats.
• Simplicity: Slim down consensus, execution, and data layers to make it easier for new contributors to audit code.
• Optimality: Achieve lower latency and overhead, keeping Ethereum competitive while maintaining decentralization.

Four research tracks are already under review, including:

• 3SF protocol for rapid block finality
• Aggregated post-quantum signatures
• Zero-knowledge virtual machines
• Data-layer refactor using erasure coding

While the roadmap is still in its early stages, it has sparked enthusiasm among contributors, who see it as a way to tie together current projects and longer-range research.