Vitalik: Ethereum Transaction Research Clarifies 'Actions' and 'Dependencies', EIP-8141 Moves Toward Universal Call Lists

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined new findings on transaction format research, explaining how the network can better differentiate between 'actions' and 'dependencies' in transactions. In a post on X, Buterin said that this distinction allows each component to be optimized separately. According to Buterin, dependencies include signatures, UTXO Merkle proofs, and ZK-SNARKs or STARKs, while actions encompass operations like sending ETH. Dependencies can be processed in parallel; those involving state can be handled by the mempool, while pure dependencies can be processed once at the mempool layer and potentially replaced by STARK proofs, reducing execution and data processing. Buterin noted that Ethereum's current scaling strategy requires a clear distinction between parts that need dynamic flexibility and those that can be statically analyzed. The latter can benefit from lower gas costs. He added that more than 90% of Ethereum's activity by transaction volume does not require dynamic flexibility. The EIP-8141 transaction type is evolving toward a generic, minimal call list, Buterin said. New state types, recursive STARK mempools, and keyed nonces are also part of this direction, aiming to further optimize transaction execution and data handling.