A need to upgrade the EOS mainnet inspired action from a core group of developers. Backed by the community, the group took over development from Block.one.

$4 billion was entrusted to the entity now known as B1. Initial startup capital came in the form of a community-funded ICO. Many still feel that the initial seed was wasted with little provided in return. Litigation now typifies cryptocurrency industry discussions around start-up funds.

Today, B1 has its own projects independent of the mainnet community. The developers that remained have persevered and are on the precipice of something special.

Unparalleled Development

Leading the core group of developers is the EOS Network Foundation (ENF). Its founder and CEO is Yves La Rose. Yves is among the most respected developers EOS has ever known. His first few months as the uncontested central figure guiding mainnet development has been truly impressive.

In Yves' time as ENF CEO, the community saw unparalleled development, innovation, and vision. Among the initiatives and inspirations directly and indirectly emerging in the absence of B1 are:

Antelope (former codename Mandel): the third version of EOSIO software
The Trust Network: an EOS Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)
Working Groups: including the cross-chain initiatives of the EOSIO (now Antelope) Coalition
DUNE: a more developer-friendly Docker development environment
Community funding: including Pomelo quadratic funding, the Helios incubator, and Direct ENF grants
And more

Each one of the initiatives listed above have unique implications. For instance, the ENF provides matching funds for Pomelo whose distribution is entirely decided by the community. EOS EVM promises to expand the community and bring sorely needed liquidity to mainnet projects.

The consensus upgrade to Antelope Leap is comparable to what most blockchains know as a hard fork. Of all the upgrades to EOSIO (now Antelope), Leap will undoubtedly be the most comprehensive. It's been a long time coming. Some might even call it the originally anticipated ‘$Billion Upgrade”; and done for pennies on the dollar to boot.

Overviewing the Antelope (Mandel) Upgrade Guide

Getting things started was the Mandel 3.1 Upgrade Guide. It detailed key points for planning and preparation for syncing with the EOS network. A detailed list and step-by-step guide for node operators is presented for advanced planning.

Preparatory measures are also clearly laid out. From downloading binaries to improving sync speed, the Upgrade Guide keeps node operators at heart. It’s more than just a public announcement. Clearly, the ENF catered to every node making it onto Mandel (now Antelope Leap). Blockchain hard forks have been known to fork communities. The ENF wisely corralled such issues in the upgrade guide.

For Developers

The ENF’s guided preparation includes the awareness of the need to upgrade all features simultaneously. Included in the preparation are binaries, system contracts/applications and a contract developer toolkit. See the Table (Figure 1 in the Upgrade Guide) to get a better idea of just how much Leap will help bring together the community and various second generation node configurations.

Going Live in September

The ENF succeeded in bringing Leap to the public on September 21. In advance of the launch date, the ENF released the following statement:

“All #EOS nodes must upgrade to Mandel 3.1 before Wednesday, September 21 or they will fall out of sync from the rest of the network!”

Some of the other initiatives listed above depend upon the successful integration of Mandel 3.1. (now Leap 3.1) Thus, an upgraded mainnet represents a sort of floodgate for an EOS ecosystem thirsting for innovation.

For those unfamiliar with EOS history, know that the desire to innovate never waned, merely the coordination and consistency that funding offers. As funds were held by a private entity, many developers worked for free (or made financial sacrifices) just to keep the mainnet running at speed.

The ENF has yet to acquire the early funding entrusted to Block.one. Rather, its foundation and power rests in the community that came together to liberate block producer (BP) resources. EOS BPs operate under a system rewarded through inflation. Instead of BPs solely responsible for upkeeping the mainnet, now the ENF exists to not only maintain, but advance, EOS and innovation throughout the ecosystem.

So far, the relationships between block producers and the ENF manifested beyond most wildest dreams.

READER’S NOTE

Since the writing of this article, the EOS Network Foundation announces Leap Updates weekly. You can keep track by looking at the recent articles in our EOS Support News Center. Read about the important Upgrade of September 2022: Introducing Antelope: The Third Generation of EOS