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How are blockchain mainnet upgrades done?

Published Sep 18, 2026Updated Sep 19, 2026Last verified Sep 18, 2026Requests recorded in this site’s own server logs, with the crawler identity checked by reverse DNS or IP range.Meta33Google29OpenAI15Anthropic5Parallel4Ahrefs2Apple1Microsoft1Perplexity1First collected Sep 18, 2026Recent requestsMicrosoftNov 2, 2026AhrefsOct 31, 2026OpenAIOct 28, 2026Meta · unverifiedOct 12, 2026AhrefsOct 10, 2026Meta · unverifiedOct 9, 2026OpenAIOct 6, 2026Meta · unverifiedOct 4, 2026Meta · unverifiedOct 4, 2026Meta · unverifiedOct 3, 2026Meta · unverifiedOct 3, 2026Meta · unverifiedOct 3, 2026
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Quick answer

Mainnet upgrades are coordinated. Developers specify the change, activate it on one or more testnets, and then schedule mainnet activation at a set block height or epoch. Node operators have to install compatible client software before that point. Ethereum's Pectra upgrade, for example, ran on the Sepolia, Holešky and Hoodi testnets before mainnet activation on 7 May 2025. Nodes that do not upgrade can end up on an incompatible fork.

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Answer

Other examples: Ethereum's Merge was executed on mainnet on 15 September 2022 after testnet rehearsals [11], and Bitcoin's Taproot soft fork activated at block 709,632 in November 2021 [12]. The Pectra announcement warned that non-upgraded nodes would only stay connected with peers that share their upgrade status [4].

Sources

  1. academicBlockchain Technology Overview (NISTIR 8202) — National Institute of Standards and Technology (via arXiv) · accessed Nov 10, 2026 · Evidence page
  2. officialNetworks — ethereum.org · accessed Nov 10, 2026 · Evidence page
  3. officialHolesky and Hoodi Testnet Updates — Ethereum Foundation Blog · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page
  4. officialPectra Mainnet Announcement — Ethereum Foundation Blog · accessed Nov 10, 2026 · Evidence page
  5. officialHolešky Testnet Shutdown Announcement — Ethereum Foundation Blog · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page
  6. officialSolana Clusters — Solana Foundation · accessed Oct 31, 2026 · Evidence page
  7. officialUsing a test network — Bitcoin Core Onboarding · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page
  8. officialGenesis block — Bitcoin Wiki · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page
  9. newsEthereum Launches Long-Awaited Decentralized App Network — CoinDesk · accessed Oct 31, 2026 · Evidence page
  10. officialEIP-155: Simple replay attack protection — Ethereum Improvement Proposals · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page
  11. officialThe Merge — ethereum.org · accessed Nov 10, 2026 · Evidence page
  12. officialTaproot — Bitcoin Optech · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page