Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is calling on developers to tackle the growing complexity of the blockchain protocol, warning that accumulated features and code risk undermining trust, usability, and long-term stability.
In a Jan. 18 post on X, Buterin explained that Ethereum’s continuous expansion has led to a bloated protocol.
The hidden costs of backward compatibility
Each new feature is added carefully to maintain compatibility with existing systems, but rarely are old elements removed.
The result: a dense, intricate codebase that even experienced users struggle to navigate.
“Even with hundreds of thousands of nodes and robust fault tolerance, if a protocol is a tangled mess of lines of code and advanced cryptography, it ultimately fails,” he wrote.
This complexity, he argues, affects Ethereum in three key ways: it reduces trustlessness, because users must rely on technical experts to understand the system; it fails the walkaway test, since rebuilding clients independently becomes unrealistic; and it undermines self-sovereignty, as even advanced users cannot fully inspect or reason about the protocol.
Introducing “Garbage collection”
To address this, Buterin proposes a formal process of “simplification” or “garbage collection” during Ethereum development. The idea is to remove rarely used or redundant features, reduce total lines of code, and limit reliance on overly complex cryptographic primitives.
He highlighted previous cleanups as examples: the transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, which reset many core functions, and gas cost reforms, which tied fees to actual resource usage rather than arbitrary rules.
Future efforts might see older features shifted from the main protocol into smart contracts, making the system leaner and easier for developers to maintain.
A different approach from Solana
Not all blockchain leaders agree on this path. Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko argues that continuous evolution is critical. A blockchain that pauses development risks falling behind, he said, even if ongoing changes increase complexity.
Buterin’s perspective prioritizes sustainability: a system that can operate reliably for decades, passing the walkaway test, without depending on continuous developer intervention.
The debate highlights the tension between innovation and maintainable design in rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystems.
Why it matters
Ethereum’s complexity is not just a technical issue. As decentralized networks take on real-world financial and social roles, transparency and predictability are essential for security and user trust. Simplification initiatives like garbage collection aim to preserve Ethereum’s integrity, making it easier for clients, auditors, and users to interact with the network confidently.
By addressing protocol bloat, Ethereum could remain accessible and secure while continuing to innovate a balance crucial for long-term adoption and resilience.
Kataryna Dyl
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