Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposed merging key backend programs used by Ethereum nodes to simplify setup and encourage more users to run their own infrastructure.
The proposal suggests combining the software used for Ethereum’s execution layer and its Beacon Chain consensus system into a unified code structure to reduce technical complexity.
“I feel like at every level, we have implicitly made this decision that running a node is this oh so scary DevOps task that it is ok to leave to professionals,”
Said Vitalik Buterin.
Buterin argued that simplifying node software would allow more individuals and households to run their own validators instead of relying on third-party service providers.
He added that the current requirement to run two separate programs and synchronise them creates a technical barrier that discourages participation from everyday users.
The push to simplify node operation follows ongoing criticism that Ethereum’s infrastructure requirements could lead to centralisation if only specialised operators can maintain nodes.
In a separate initiative in May 2025, Buterin proposed partially stateless nodes that reduce storage requirements by allowing operators to keep only the blockchain data they need.
He also recently allocated 16,384 Ether from his personal holdings to support privacy-preserving technologies, open hardware development and secure software infrastructure within the Ethereum ecosystem.
At the time of reporting, Ethereum price was $2,196.21.