Key Highlights
- Vitalik Buterin warned that Ethereum’s growing complexity could weaken trustlessness, developer freedom, and user control.
- He called for “garbage collection”, urging the removal of outdated features and simpler protocol design.
- Buterin said long-term stability depends on simplification, not constant additions to the network.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has stressed that the long-term security and independence of Ethereum depend on keeping the protocol simple. In a post on X, he said that even though Ethereum has hundreds of thousands of nodes and strong fault tolerance, the network could become fragile if it grows too complex.
“Even if a protocol is super decentralized with hundreds of thousands of nodes, and it has 49 percent byzantine fault tolerance, and nodes fully verify everything with quantum-safe proofs, if the protocol is an unwieldy mess of hundreds of thousands of lines of code and five forms of PhD-level cryptography, ultimately that protocol fails all three tests,” Buterin wrote.
He explained that these three tests are trustlessness, the walkaway test, and self-sovereignty. When the system becomes too complicated, users have to rely on a small group of experts. New teams cannot easily take over development, and even very technical people cannot fully understand the network.
The need for garbage collection
Buterin said that Ethereum tends to add new features more often than it removes old ones. Over time, this leads to bloat that could weaken the network. To address this, he proposed a deliberate process of simplification, or “garbage collection.”
He outlined three main ideas:
- Reduce Code Size: The protocol should be as short and clear as possible, ideally just a few pages.
- Avoid Complex Dependencies: The network should rely on simple, widely understood components. Adding unnecessary cryptography or complicated features increases the risk of failure.
- Strengthen Core Rules: Certain rules should be added to make the protocol easier to work with. For example, EIP-6780 limits how many storage slots can be changed, and EIP-7825 puts a maximum on gas per transaction.
Small and big changes
Garbage collection can happen gradually. For example, the Glamsterdam gas reforms simplified how transaction costs are calculated. Large changes are also possible, such as the shift from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake or the upcoming Lean Consensus improvements.
Buterin suggested another approach called “Rosetta-style backwards compatibility.” Rarely used and complex features could be moved out of the core protocol and run as smart contracts. This would allow developers to ignore older systems while still keeping them available. Examples include retiring old transaction types after account abstraction and eventually replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine with a simpler virtual machine, such as RISC-V.
Looking ahead
Buterin said the first fifteen years of Ethereum were a time to explore ideas and see what works. Going forward, he wants the protocol to evolve more slowly, focusing on keeping it simple and reliable instead of constantly adding new features.
“In the long term, I hope that the rate of change to Ethereum can be slower. We should strive to avoid the parts that are not useful being a permanent drag on the Ethereum protocol,” he wrote.
Why this matters
Vitalik warned that if the protocol keeps getting more complex, only a small group of experts will be able to understand it. Ethereum has millions of users, thousands of developers, and countless applications.
Buterin said that if Ethereum keeps getting more complicated, only a few people will really understand how it works. That threatens the very features that make Ethereum unique: the ability for anyone to use it without trusting others, the possibility for new developers to step in when needed, and real control for people over their own funds.
According to Buterin, simplifying the network, removing outdated parts, and keeping the rules clear are essential. Doing this will allow Ethereum to remain strong, easy to use, and reliable for years, even as technology and the world continue to change.
Also Read: Vitalik Buterin Wants Ethereum Ready for a ‘Walkaway’ Future
