Dear Celo Community,
Introduction
We are excited to share that the Alfajores L2 testnet is on track and will be launching via hardfork on September 26, 2024, bringing us one step closer to migrating Celo to an L2 on Ethereum. The Alfajores L2 hardfork is more than just an upgrade; it’s a fundamental change to the testnet architecture. After the hardfork on September 26th, Alfajores L1 will be permanently shut down, with all data and state migrated to L2. From this point onward, Alfajores L2 will become the default and only active testnet.
Alfajores L2 Testnet Details
Alfajores L2 will deliver a host of significant improvements, built on the OP Stack release 1.9.1. These changes will enhance the overall performance, reliability, and developer experience, setting the stage for Celo to eventually function as a full-fledged L2 on Ethereum. As Alfajores L1 is sunset, there will be a brief period of downtime as L2 goes live. Depending on your node provider’s support, some users and services may experience temporary disruptions. We highly recommend switching to Alfajores L2 Forno if your RPC provider hasn’t yet upgraded to ensure uninterrupted service.
Alfajores L2 will also adopt several features introduced on the Dango testnet. This includes the adaptation of the OP stack to support unique features such as fee abstraction (paying for gas with ERC-20 tokens including USDC and USDT), one-block finality, CELO token duality (interacting with CELO natively and via the ERC-20 interface), staking rewards, and Celo’s Ultragreen Money model. These features ensure that Alfajores L2 continues to support the majority of the existing Celo L1 functionality
EigenDA was first introduced during the Dango testnet launch, and it remains a key feature for Alfajores L2. Unlike the OP mainnet, which uses L1 call data or EIP-4844 blobs for transaction commitments, Celo leverages EigenDA as an alternative data availability layer. EigenDA, developed by Eigen Labs and built on top of EigenLayer, enables off-chain storage of transaction data by EigenDA operators. Only the essential data availability commitments required for verification and retrieval are stored on the L1, significantly reducing both data availability costs and L2 transaction fees.
As with the Dango testnet, sequencing on the Alfajores L2 will be operated by cLabs as we continue to work towards decentralization, a final goal of our roadmap.
It’s important to note that the previous Gingerbread hardfork introduced breaking changes, including the sunsetting of CIP-42 and legacy Celo transaction types, which will no longer be supported on Layer 2. More details on this can be found here.
Lastly, a significant benefit of transitioning to an Ethereum L2 is the introduction of a native bridge between Ethereum and Celo to facilitate the bridging of WETH and ERC-20 tokens. As mentioned in the Dango announcement, while CELO will continue to serve as the native token on Celo’s L2, it will also be transformed into an ERC-20 token on Ethereum. This transformation is essential for enabling integration with the Superchain and will utilize OP’s custom gas token feature, which necessitates minting CELO on Layer 1. The total supply of 1 billion tokens will remain unchanged, with the ERC-20 CELO token being securely locked by the bridge.
Call to Action for Partners
We strongly urge all partners to complete the necessary upgrades both before and on the September 26th live date. One crucial step for node operators wishing to migrate their own chain data is running the migration script prior to the hardfork to ensure a smooth transition and minimize downtime. Developers should ensure their dApp dependencies are up to date. Once Alfajores L2 is live, it’s essential for all node operators to complete the necessary upgrades to ensure seamless integration and optimal performance post-hardfork.
For guidance, you can refer to the decision tree on Celo Docs to determine the necessary steps, and consult the L1->L2 operator guide, which will be updated with final details closer to the launch.
Important Information for Developers
For developers, please be aware that there is a potential for downtime of up to 8 hours in the worst case during the migration process, although we will work to minimize it as much as possible. Additionally, if you’re still using legacy transaction methods, you may encounter errors after the hardfork, so be sure to update to the latest transaction standards before September 26th. Finally, ensure that your node provider supports Alfajores L2. If they haven’t upgraded yet, it’s essential to switch to a compatible provider to avoid any service disruptions.
Dango Shutdown Timeline
In close conjunction with the Alfajores L2 hardfork, we will also be shutting down the Dango testnet. Dango was a temporary testnet, and now that Alfajores L2 is live, Dango will no longer be needed. Any state created on Dango will not be backported to Alfajores L2, so please ensure your projects are migrated accordingly. We’ll provide a 1-week notice after the Alfajores L2 launch to ensure a smooth transition from Dango.
Final Notes
The Alfajores L2 hardfork is a game-changer for our ecosystem, significantly improving both scalability and reliability. We are excited to see how the community will take advantage of this powerful new testnet and look forward to seeing the innovations you’ll build.
We want to express our deep appreciation for your continued support. This transition wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and feedback of our incredible community. Thank you for helping us make this evolution possible!
For more information on the hardfork, migration guides, and how to stay up-to-date, please use the following resources:
Feel free to ask questions or share feedback in the forum—your input is vital to making Alfajores L2 a success!
-The cLabs team