Vitalik Buterin Calls for “Garbage Collection” to Reduce Ethereum Bloat

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warns that the protocol is becoming overly complex due to the constant addition of new features while rarely removing old ones.

He argues that this “bloat” undermines Ethereum in three ways:
Trustlessness is weakened – Users must rely on experts to understand the protocol.

Walkaway test fails – Rebuilding clients becomes unrealistic if current developers disappear.

Self-sovereignty erodes – Even technical users struggle to inspect or reason about the system.
Buterin proposes a “garbage collection” or simplification process in Ethereum’s development.

This would involve:
Reducing code lines and dependence on complex cryptography.

Introducing fixed rules (invariants) for predictable client behavior.

Moving rarely used features to smart contracts.

He cites Ethereum’s PoW-to-PoS transition and gas reforms as examples of past simplifications.

The goal is for Ethereum to eventually pass the walkaway test, functioning securely without ongoing developer intervention.

Contrast with Solana:
Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko disagrees, arguing that blockchains must continuously evolve to stay relevant.

In short, Buterin emphasizes simplicity and maintainability, while others prioritize constant innovations.