The Cardano network is on the verge of the Chang hardfork, which will usher in the Voltaire era. The transition is being made possible by the latest release of the node validator software, version 9.1.0, which contains crucial updates essential to the hardfork. Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, explained via X, “That’s it. End of ride, node 9.1 is Voltaire. Have fun upgrading SPOs. Welcome to Chang.”
Additionally, Intersect, a membership organization within the ADA ecosystem focused on blockchain continuity and future improvements, confirmed the announcement, stating via X: “Node 9.1.0 is here! The final version to bring on-chain decision making to Cardano is here. As with all hard forks, Cardano will upgrade when the community is ready.”
Cardano Chang Hard Fork is complete
The upgrade of junction version 9.0.0 to 9.1.0 is important, mainly because of the introduction of the mandatory Conway genesis file at boot, which is crucial for the transition through the Change hard forkPreviously, the genesis file was optional.
In addition to the genesis file integration, Node 9.1.0 contains numerous bug fixes and improvements to both the command-line interface (CLI) and the application programming interface (API). One of these improvements is the introduction of a “query treasury” command, which provides improved insights into the financial activity of the network.
Additionally, updates bring compatibility with two major Cardano enhancement proposals: CIP69, which standardizes metadata structures, and CIP119, which introduces a transaction metadata label for easier transaction identification and processing.
As Intersect points out, the community will decide when the Chang hard fork will be activated. The Chang hard fork will happen once 70% of validators have adopted the new node.
The Chang hardfork will significantly enhance Cardano’s capabilities by transitioning the Vasil upgrade to a decentralized decision-making basis through the implementation of the CIP-1694 on-chain governance mechanisms.
This includes community-driven governance where ADA holders directly participate in decision-making via on-chain consensus. Additionally, Delegate Representatives (DReps) will play a crucial role in voicing community interests and guiding the future of the network.
The Chang Upgrade is structured into two distinct phases. The first, Chang Upgrade #1, will see the implementation of the initial set of governance features to Cardano and marks the beginning of the technical bootstrapping phase as outlined in CIP-1694.
The second phase, Chang Upgrade #2, will bring these governance mechanisms out of the technical bootstrapping phase. This will enable full functionality of on-chain governance, including DRep participation and extended governance actions.
This upgrade also pays tribute to Phil Chang, a key figure in Cardano’s governance strategies at IOG, who passed away in 2022. His contributions were fundamental to the conceptualization of the Voltaire era, which the Chang upgrade aims to realize.
At the time of going to press, ADA was trading at $0.4134.
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