Retrospective LLM-Based Complexity Evaluations

Retrospective Fork Evaluation

Prague / Pectra

8 Execution Layer EIPs were included by the evaluation cutoff, with a predicted complexity score sum of 216. Another 3 EIPs were added later, contributing 38 to the final-scope total of 254.

Scope timing: The primary retrospective prediction includes only EIPs present by the evaluation cutoff. The later additions remain assessed and reported separately: EIP-7642 (+14), EIP-7691 (+16), EIP-7840 (+8).
EIPs by cutoff
8
score 216
Added after cutoff
3
+38 · final scope 254
Under-specified at cutoff
11 / 11
Human checklists
Not available
No human complexity assessments were produced for this fork.

Where the Complexity Comes From

Each segment sums one criterion across the fork's scored LLM assessments. Hover or focus a segment for its points, share, and the number of contributing EIPs.

View
By cutoff216 points · 8 EIPs
Added later38 points · 3 EIPs
Composition table: points per criterion and fork
Prague / Pectra: criterion points included by the cutoff and added afterward
CriterionBy cutoffAdded later
Modified opcodes3 · 1% · 1 EIP0
Added precompiles5 · 2% · 2 EIPs0
Added system contracts4 · 2% · 2 EIPs0
Modified system contracts2 · 1% · 1 EIP0
EVM Gas rule changes9 · 4% · 4 EIPs0
State-access ordering within opcode execution3 · 1% · 2 EIPs0
Blob gas accounting changes02 · 5% · 2 EIPs
New transaction types3 · 1% · 1 EIP0
New or modified transaction validity mechanisms5 · 2% · 2 EIPs1 · 3% · 1 EIP
New block / header fields9 · 4% · 3 EIPs0
Encoding changes (RLP/SSZ)15 · 7% · 5 EIPs3 · 8% · 1 EIP
Block syncing changes9 · 4% · 3 EIPs0
New fork activation mechanism6 · 3% · 2 EIPs6 · 16% · 2 EIPs
Engine API changes4 · 2% · 3 EIPs0
Transition-tool interface changes10 · 5% · 4 EIPs0
Patterns affecting pre-existing tests16 · 7% · 7 EIPs2 · 5% · 2 EIPs
New invariant on pre-existing tests9 · 4% · 4 EIPs0
New test-framework primitives6 · 3% · 4 EIPs0
Security risks20 · 9% · 8 EIPs4 · 11% · 2 EIPs
Performance risks19 · 9% · 8 EIPs6 · 16% · 2 EIPs
Edge/boundary conditions22 · 10% · 8 EIPs5 · 13% · 3 EIPs
Cryptography3 · 1% · 2 EIPs0
Cross-EIP interactions14 · 6% · 7 EIPs4 · 11% · 3 EIPs
Unspecified behavior requiring cross-client consensus20 · 9% · 8 EIPs5 · 13% · 3 EIPs
Total21638

Complexity Assessments

LLM rows were automated using the GPT-5.6 Sol LLM at xhigh reasoning effort, evaluating the EIP revision linked in the Assessment Input column against version 2 of STEEL’s complexity-assignment template. Human rows are STEEL reviewers’ published checklists; their status badge links to the pull request or merged report. Select rows from either evaluator to compare them, or open an EIP for its full assessment.

Evaluator
11 assessments: 11 LLM, 0 Human
Prague / Pectra complexity assessments, one row per evaluator
Select for comparisonComplexity profile
EIP-2537 Precompile for BLS12-381 curve operationsIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete16MediumYes
EIP-2935 Serve historical block hashes from stateIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete24HighYes
EIP-6110 Supply validator deposits on chainIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete36HighYes
EIP-7002 Execution layer triggerable withdrawalsIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete38HighYes
EIP-7251 Increase the MAX_EFFECTIVE_BALANCEIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete19MediumYes
EIP-7623 Increase calldata costIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete16MediumYes
EIP-7642 eth/69 - history expiry and simpler receiptsAdded after cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete14MediumYes
EIP-7685 General purpose execution layer requestsIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete34HighYes
EIP-7691 Blob throughput increaseAdded after cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete16MediumYes
EIP-7702 Set Code for EOAsIncluded by cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete33HighYes
EIP-7840 Add blob schedule to EL config filesAdded after cutoffLLMChecklist v2Complete8LowYes

How the Historical Refs Were Selected

These timelines support the assessment table by showing the fork chronology and the revision and inclusion history used to choose each input. They are process evidence, not additional complexity results. Each chart has its own time axis; horizontal positions should only be compared within a chart.

Fork Milestones and Relevant Devnets

Fork-level scope, devnet, testnet, and activation milestones on an independent time axis.

EIP Revision Histories and Selected Assessment Refs

The main purpose of this panel is to show where the selected assessment ref (REF) falls in each EIP’s revision history. The other traces and markers provide context for that selection. Every EIP row uses the same date scale, shown once above the panel.

Aligned EIP revision histories, inclusion-state transitions, selected assessment refs, and the fork evaluation cutoff on one shared time axis.
Criterion legend and glossary

Every stacked bar, comparison matrix, and criterion table on this site uses the same criterion colours, abbreviations, and order. Colour marks the criterion group; the abbreviation and name identify the criterion. Scores are 0–3 per criterion (4 is exceptional; cross-EIP interactions is uncapped).

EVM surface

Opcodes, precompiles, and system contracts that are added or modified.

  • Added opcodes
    Introduces new opcodes
  • Modified opcodes
    Modifies pre-existing opcodes
  • Added precompiles
    Introduces new precompiles
  • Modified precompiles
    Modifies pre-existing precompiles logic or gas-accounting
  • Added system contracts
    Introduces new system contract, stateful or not
  • Modified system contracts
    Modifies pre-existing system contracts

Gas and accounting

Execution, blob, and state gas rules, refunds, and where charges happen inside opcodes.

  • EVM Gas rule changes
    New EVM gas accounting rules
  • State-access ordering within opcode execution · Checklist revision 2 only
    Changes *where inside an opcode's execution* state is accessed, or where gas is charged relative to that access. Because a state access is recorded in the block-level access list only if execution had enough gas to reach it, this ordering is consensus-critical: moving it changes the BAL at every gas boundary of every affected opcode.
  • Blob gas accounting changes
    New Blob gas accounting rules which potentially affect pre-existing tests
  • State gas accounting changes · Checklist revision 2 only
    New state gas accounting rules. State gas is the cost of *writing* state, as opposed to accessing or executing it: `StateGasCosts`, `COST_PER_STATE_BYTE`, the block-level state gas budget, and the spill path into execution gas.
  • New EVM gas refund
    New gas-refund mechanism

Blocks, transactions, and encoding

Transaction types and validity, block and header fields, encodings, syncing, and activation-time changes.

  • New transaction types
    Introduces a new transaction type
  • New or modified transaction validity mechanisms
    Creates new or modifies pre-existing transaction types' validation mechanisms
  • New block / header fields
    Introduces new block or block header fields
  • Encoding changes (RLP/SSZ)
    Introduces encoding changes at the transaction/block/interfaces level
  • Block syncing changes
    Modifies block RLP validation mechanisms that require test client syncing.
  • New fork activation mechanism
    Modifies state, internal variables, or similar, at the fork activation block

Client interfaces

Engine API and transition-tool interface changes.

  • Engine API changes
    Introduces new fields to the Engine API directives
  • Engine API encoding changes · Checklist revision 1 only
    Engine API encoding changes (the revision-1 template defines no anchor text for this row).
  • Transition-tool interface changes
    Modifies or adds new fields to the transition tool interface.

Testing impact

Rework, new invariants, and new primitives required in the test framework.

  • Patterns affecting pre-existing tests
    Implements a new validation mechanism or rule that translates in reworking pre-existing tests
  • New invariant on pre-existing tests · Checklist revision 2 only
    Tests that are **not about this EIP** must nonetheless assert something this EIP produces. Their logic does not change; they gain a new thing to check.
  • New test-framework primitives · Checklist revision 2 only
    Requires new abstractions in the test framework itself — expectation types, modifiers, helpers — beyond writing test functions with what already exists.

Risk and validation

Security, performance, boundary conditions, and cryptography that need validation.

  • Security risks
    Introduces or modifies mechanisms that could compromise the security of the chain, users, validators, or other stakeholders, if not implemented properly.
  • Performance risks
    Introduces or modifies mechanisms and requires performance validation.
  • Edge/boundary conditions
    Feature contains edge/boundary conditions.
  • Cryptography
    Introduces new cryptography mechanisms or modifies existing functionality that involves cryptography

Coordination

Cross-EIP interactions and behavior that clients must agree on before tests exist.

  • Cross-EIP interactions
    Introduces or modifies mechanisms that affect other EIPs in either the same or past forks.
  • Unspecified behavior requiring cross-client consensus · Checklist revision 2 only
    The EIP text does not determine the answer for cases a test can construct. Clients must agree on a previously unspecified detail before tests can be baselined. The cost here is coordination and re-baselining, not test writing.