tl;dr: Ethereum Protocol Research returns for 2026 with new content material tracks in cryptography, lean consensus and zkEVM, plus a brand new self-paced studying platform. This system kicks off February twenty third. Go to epf.wiki to get began.
Ethereum Protocol Research (EPS) is again. Since launching as a 10-week research group forward of EPF5, EPS has grown into the first academic on-ramp for anybody seeking to perceive Ethereum’s core protocol. A whole lot of members have used this system to go from basic Ethereum familiarity to studying specs, navigating shopper codebases, and contributing to protocol growth.
This 12 months’s program expands in each depth and format. EPS 2026 introduces two new content material tracks protecting areas of the protocol which can be more and more central to Ethereum’s roadmap, alongside a self-paced studying platform that makes the curriculum accessible year-round.
What’s New in 2026
Cryptography
This observe will deal with the arithmetic and cryptography elementary to Ethereum. With fundamental math coaching, you’ll study ideas like elliptic curve pairings, KZG commitments, hash features, and the constructions shaping its future, together with zero-knowledge proof techniques and post-quantum signature schemes.
Lean Consensus and zkEVM
With the current progress on zkEVMs, this observe covers the way forward for ethereum consensus. Individuals will discover how zkEVM implementations show execution correctness and the way these efforts hook up with the broader purpose of scaling and SNARKifying the Ethereum protocol.
A New Studying Platform
Earlier iterations of EPS relied on dwell classes, Discord discussions, and the EPF Wiki as the first studying surfaces. These stay core to this system. However beginning this 12 months, EPS can also be obtainable by a devoted FOSS studying administration system constructed on Moodle.
The platform hosts the earlier EPS curriculum as a structured, self-paced course. Every module pairs video content material from research group classes with interactive assessments within the type of comprehension checks embedded straight in lecture recordings. Individuals can work by the content material at their very own tempo, with progress monitoring and clear studying targets for every part.
The training platform enhances the dwell program moderately than changing it. Cohort members nonetheless profit from seminar-style discussions with protocol engineers, real-time Q&A, and collaborative work by the EPF Wiki and Discord. The platform helps observe your progress, check your information and ensures that the barrier to entry is as little as potential.
What to anticipate in 2026
Individuals in EPS 2026 can count on:
Intro session on Monday, February 23rdTwo onboarding weeks that includes foundational content material by the brand new research platform.5 weeks of recent content material beginning March ninth; two classes per week protecting cryptography and lean consensus/zkEVM.Reside seminar-style discussions with core builders, researchers, and previous EPF fellowsA devoted Discord server for protocol discussionsOpportunities to contribute to collaborative documentation through epf.wiki
The EPF Wiki: A Dwelling Information Base
epf.wiki continues to function a complete, community-maintained information base for the Ethereum protocol. It covers execution and consensus layer specs, shopper structure, testing infrastructure, and energetic analysis areas. Contributions from EPS members have been important to maintaining it present and complete, and we encourage everybody to assist develop and refine its content material.
Get Concerned
The research group is for anybody enthusiastic about understanding how Ethereum works on the protocol stage. Whether or not you are a developer exploring core contributions, a researcher following the roadmap, or just curious concerning the system’s internals, this system offers a structured path from foundational ideas to the innovative.
Get began by exploring epf.wiki and becoming a member of the Discord.
