解決資料膨脹：為什麼需要清除

Vitalki 表示，以太坊如今面臨的最大挑戰之一是其龐大的資料儲存需求。隨著時間的推移，隨著交易的累積和智能合約的增加

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a new development in a series of posts that could redefine Ethereum's efficiency, accessibility, and storage requirements. This latest development addresses a pressing need to streamline Ethereum by reducing the storage load on individual nodes, improving network speed, and maintaining the blockchain’s integrity.

以太坊聯合創始人 Vitalik Buterin 在一系列帖子中概述了一項新進展，該進展可能會重新定義以太坊的效率、可訪問性和儲存要求。這項最新進展滿足了透過減少單一節點上的儲存負載、提高網路速度和維護區塊鏈完整性來簡化以太坊的迫切需求。

One of the biggest challenges facing Ethereum today is its vast data storage needs, says Buterin. Over time, as transactions accumulate and smart contracts proliferate, the blockchain has grown immensely, making it harder for new nodes to join and for the network to operate seamlessly. Presently, a fully synced Ethereum node requires over 1.17 terabytes of storage, and this requirement is expected to keep rising. This storage strain acts as a barrier to decentralization, as fewer individuals have the capacity to run nodes, leaving the network more vulnerable to centralization and increasing costs for users and operators alike.

Buterin 表示，以太幣如今面臨的最大挑戰之一是其龐大的資料儲存需求。隨著時間的推移，隨著交易的累積和智慧合約的激增，區塊鏈已經大幅增長，使得新節點的加入和網路無縫運行變得更加困難。目前，完全同步的以太坊節點需要超過 1.17 TB 的儲存空間，而這項需求預計將繼續上升。這種儲存壓力成為去中心化的障礙，因為有能力運行節點的人越來越少，使得網路更容易受到中心化的影響，並增加了用戶和營運商的成本。

The development, dubbed "The Purge," aims to alleviate this data burden by introducing a mechanism to periodically “expire” less critical data while keeping vital information intact. This evolution would allow Ethereum to remain decentralized and accessible, with a lighter protocol that still provides the same level of security and functionality.

這項被稱為「The Purge」的開發旨在透過引入一種機制來減輕這種數據負擔，該機制可以定期「過期」不太重要的數據，同時保持重要資訊的完整性。這種演進將使以太坊保持去中心化和可訪問性，並透過更輕的協議仍然提供相同級別的安全性和功能。

At the heart of The Purge are two core ideas: state expiry and history expiry. State expiry refers to the ability of nodes to discard certain pieces of blockchain data that are no longer necessary for maintaining the current state of the network. For instance, data related to old transactions or smart contract calls that have already been finalized and included in the canonical chain can be safely removed. This approach helps reduce the overall storage footprint of Ethereum without compromising its integrity.

The Purge 的核心有兩個核心思想：狀態過期和歷史過期。狀態過期是指節點丟棄某些不再需要維持網路目前狀態的區塊鏈資料的能力。例如，與已完成並包含在規範鏈中的舊交易或智慧合約呼叫相關的資料可以安全地刪除。這種方法有助於減少以太坊的整體儲存佔用空間，同時又不影響其完整性。

History expiry, on the other hand, involves discarding historical data that is no longer relevant to the network's operation or security. Buterin explains that while the entire history of Ethereum transactions is valuable for archival purposes and analytics, keeping all of this data on every node is redundant. Instead, The Purge would allow nodes to choose how far back in Ethereum's history they want to store data, striking a balance between accessibility and storage efficiency. Nodes could periodically download historical data from other nodes or specialized services as needed.

另一方面，歷史過期涉及丟棄不再與網路操作或安全相關的歷史資料。 Buterin 解釋說，雖然以太坊交易的整個歷史對於存檔和分析都很有價值，但將所有這些資料保留在每個節點上是多餘的。相反，清除將允許節點選擇他們想要儲存資料的以太坊歷史的早期程度，從而在可存取性和儲存效率之間取得平衡。節點可以根據需要定期從其他節點或專門服務下載歷史資料。

One of The Purge’s ultimate goals is to enable “stateless clients,” a concept that removes the need for nodes to store all the blockchain’s data in real-time. Stateless clients would rely on a reduced dataset, allowing them to verify blocks without needing massive storage capacity. This transformation could pave the way for Ethereum nodes to run on lightweight devices like smartphones, tablets, or even wearables. Buterin envisions this as a major step forward for Ethereum’s decentralization and accessibility, as it lowers the hardware requirements for node operators, making it easier for more people to participate.

The Purge 的最終目標之一是實現“無狀態客戶端”，這一概念消除了節點即時儲存所有區塊鏈資料的需求。無狀態客戶端將依賴減少的資料集，允許他們在不需要大量儲存容量的情況下驗證區塊。這種轉變可以為以太坊節點在智慧型手機、平板電腦甚至穿戴式裝置等輕量級設備上運行鋪平道路。 Buterin 認為這是以太坊去中心化和可訪問性向前邁出的重要一步，因為它降低了節點運營商的硬體要求，使更多人更容易參與。

Stateless clients would lean heavily on cryptographic techniques such as witnesses—compact proofs containing only the data relevant to a specific transaction. By processing transactions in this way, nodes can validate activity on the blockchain without downloading the full history or state data, creating a more scalable and versatile network.

無狀態用戶端將嚴重依賴加密技術，例如見證人——僅包含與特定交易相關的資料的緊湊證明。透過以這種方式處理交易，節點可以驗證區塊鏈上的活動，而無需下載完整的歷史記錄或狀態數據，從而創建更具可擴展性和通用性的網路。

Beyond data management, The Purge also aims to simplify Ethereum’s protocol by eliminating outdated or redundant features. Over the years, Ethereum’s codebase has grown increasingly complex due to the constant addition of new features and updates. This has led to “technical debt”—legacy code that is difficult to maintain, test, or improve without significant effort. Removing or rewriting these older components will make Ethereum more efficient and reliable, and reduce the chances of future bugs and vulnerabilities.

除了資料管理之外，The Purge 還旨在透過消除過時或冗餘的功能來簡化以太坊協議。多年來，由於不斷添加新功能和更新，以太坊的程式碼庫變得越來越複雜。這導致了「技術債」——如果不付出巨大努力就很難維護、測試或改進遺留程式碼。刪除或重寫這些舊組件將使以太坊更加有效率和可靠，並減少未來出現錯誤和漏洞的機會。

Streamlining the protocol will also lower the cognitive barrier for developers new to Ethereum, potentially accelerating innovation within the ecosystem. A simpler codebase means faster development, easier troubleshooting, and a more attractive environment for new talent.

簡化協議也將降低以太坊新開發人員的認知障礙，並有可能加速生態系統內的創新。更簡單的程式碼庫意味著更快的開發、更容易的故障排除以及對新人才更有吸引力的環境。

While The Purge will not directly reduce gas fees, it could have an indirect impact on network costs. By improving Ethereum’s efficiency and reducing storage burdens, node operators may see lower operational expenses, potentially allowing for lower fees in the long run. Moreover, a faster and more scalable Ethereum network could ultimately accommodate more users and transactions without the congestion that typically drives up gas prices. However, gas fees depend on multiple factors, including network demand, so the direct impact of The Purge on transaction costs remains uncertain.

雖然清除不會直接降低 Gas 費，但可能會對網路成本產生間接影響。透過提高以太坊的效率和減少儲存負擔，節點營運商可能會看到更低的營運費用，從長遠來看可能會降低費用。此外，更快、更具可擴展性的以太坊網路最終可以容納更多的用戶和交易，而不會出現通常會推高天然氣價格的擁塞。然而，gas 費用取決於包括網路需求在內的多種因素，因此 The Purge 對交易成本的直接影響仍不確定。

Decentralization and Security: Ensuring Robustness Through Efficient Design

去中心化與安全性：透過高效設計確保穩健性

Vitalik’s vision for Ethereum involves maintaining the network’s decentralization while enhancing its security. By offloading historical data and streamlining storage requirements, The Purge will allow more individuals and organizations to run nodes, even on less powerful devices. This inclusivity strengthens the network’s resistance to centralization, ensuring that power remains distributed across many participants.

Vitalik 對以太坊的願景包括維持網路的去中心化，同時增強其安全性。透過卸載歷史資料並簡化儲存需求，The Purge 將允許更多個人和組織運行節點，即使在功能較弱的裝置上也是如此。這種包容性增強了網路對中心化的抵抗力，確保權力仍然分佈在許多參與者之間。

Security, too, will benefit from these changes. The move towards stateless clients and the reduction of technical debt will simplify the verification process, potentially reducing the risk of bugs or vulnerabilities in Ethereum’s code. Additionally, by allowing data to be “expired” rather than held indefinitely, The Purge minimizes the attack surface for potential security threats targeting the stored state or historical data.

安全也將從這些變化中受益。向無狀態客戶端的轉變和技術債務的減少將簡化驗證過程，從而可能降低以太坊程式碼中出現錯誤或漏洞的風險。此外，透過允許資料「過期」而不是無限期保留，The Purge 最大限度地減少了針對儲存狀態或歷史資料的潛在安全威脅的攻擊面。

The Bigger Picture: Ethereum’s Future in Prediction Markets and Beyond

大局觀：以太坊在預測市場及其他領域的未來