EIPs

Ethereum Improvement Proposals, or EIPs, are formal documents used to propose and discuss changes to the Ethereum protocol, its networks, and related processes. They provide a mechanism for developers, researchers, and community members to capture ideas in a standard, referenceable way and to obtain broad community feedback before implementation.

An EIP typically includes a purpose, a rationale, a technical specification, and, where appropriate, implementation notes and references. Each EIP receives a unique number and a status indicating its stage in the process. The Ethereum community maintains a repository of EIPs on GitHub where proposals are drafted and discussed. According to EIP-1, the accepted format includes sections such as motivation, specification, rationale, and references, and defines the lifecycle from draft to final.

EIPs fall into several categories. Core EIPs describe protocol-level changes expected to be implemented by Ethereum clients. Standards Track EIPs, commonly referred to as ERCs, define interfaces and standards for smart contracts and tokens, such as token standards. Informational EIPs provide design notes or community guidelines, while Process EIPs describe governance and workflow practices.

Proposing an EIP begins with drafting the document and submitting it to the EIPs repository for discussion. Proposals undergo community review, revision, and, if accepted, may progress through stages toward adoption. Not all EIPs become active; some are withdrawn or superseded by later proposals as the ecosystem evolves.

Notable EIPs include ERC-20, the widely used token standard, ERC-721 for non-fungible tokens, and EIP-1559, which reformed the Ethereum fee mechanism. EIPs are not binding policy but reflect the community’s technical consensus and coordination efforts. Implementation typically requires client and network upgrades as well as ecosystem support.