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Neon EVM 1.18 Mainnet Release

Release Date: January 7, 2025

1. Overview​

This release focuses on bridging the gap between Ethereum and Solana by introducing native Solana wallet support, implementing the EIP-1559 fee mechanism, refining time-sensitive operations, and optimizing Solidity contract storage. Collectively, these improvements enhance user experience, streamline dApp development, and maintain Ethereum parity.

2. Key Features​

2.1 Solana-Native Wallet Support & Signature SDK​

Summary Neon EVM now supports direct interaction with Solana-native wallets (Phantom, Backpack, Solflare). This removes the need for EVM-centric wallets like MetaMask, creating a frictionless experience for Solana users.

Details

  • Introduces a dedicated Signature SDK for seamless Solana wallet integration.
  • Eliminates wallet switching or added complexity for users accustomed to Solana ecosystems.

Impact

  • Frictionless UX: Users can continue using their favorite Solana wallets without extra steps.
  • Broader User Reach: Simplifies onboarding for both Solana and Ethereum communities.

2.2 EIP-1559 Fee Mechanism​

Summary

Neon EVM now implements the Ethereum EIP-1559 fee model, using two parameters to manage transaction costs and prioritization.

Details

  • baseFeePerGas: Predictable base fee covering Solana fees and the operator margin.
  • priorityFeePerGas: Optional premium users can add to speed up transactions.
  • Full alignment with popular Ethereum tooling (e.g., MetaMask, Web3.js).

Impact

  • Fee predictability: Enhanced accuracy for user fee estimations.
  • Simplicity: Leverages familiar Ethereum ecosystems and developer tools.
  • Fairness: Separates mandatory fees from acceleration fees.

2.3 Enhanced block.timestamp​

Summary

Addresses previous disparities between Ethereum and Solana infrastructures by ensuring block.timestamp and block.number behave as they do on Ethereum.

Details

  • Removes inconsistencies in time-based operations.
  • No workaround logic needed for applications that rely on precise time or block metrics.

Impact

  • Accurate time-based mechanics: Critical for interest accrual, staking, and games.
  • Streamlined dApp development: Ethereum developers can maintain existing time-sensitive code.

2.4 Saving HEAP in Solana Accounts​

Summary

Solidity contracts now persist HEAP states across transactions by saving these in Solana accounts.

Details

  • Memory-intensive Solidity dApps can store data more efficiently.
  • Reduces in-transaction memory overhead by leveraging Solana’s accounts system.

Impact

  • Optimized resource usage: Ideal for complex dApps requiring significant memory.
  • Improved contract stability: Lowers the risk of hitting memory limits in high-throughput scenarios.

3. Why it matters​

Neon EVM 1.18 creates a more cohesive development experience, merging the strengths of Ethereum and Solana:

  • Seamless wallet integration: Solana users don’t need new wallets or conversion tools.
  • Optimized fees: The EIP-1559 model offers clarity, predictability, and fairness.
  • Accurate timing: Key for finance, staking, and real-time applications.
  • Enhanced storage: More robust support for complex or large-scale contracts.

4. Upgrade notes​

  1. Review wallet integrations
    • If your dApp is designed for MetaMask or similar wallets, test the new Solana wallet flow.
  2. Adjust fee settings
    • Update fee-logic to use both baseFeePerGas and priorityFeePerGas for accurate estimates.
  3. Time-based contracts
    • Validate any contracts that rely on block.timestamp or block.number to ensure desired behavior.
  4. Check storage configurations
    • If your contract handles large data sets, confirm that HEAP storage in Solana accounts is working as expected.

5. Fixes​

  • Gas limit estimation: Resolved an issue where the gas estimation mechanism inaccurately predicted significantly higher gas usage. The estimation logic has been optimized to provide more accurate projections.
  • Slow emulation during iterations: Addressed a performance bottleneck in the emulation process that previously caused delays during iterative Solana transactions. The updated emulation logic now executes significantly faster, ensuring smoother transaction processing.
  • Hanging transactions in optimistic execution: Fixed a bug in the optimistic execution mechanism that led to certain transactions hanging or failing to complete. Transactions now execute reliably without interruptions.
  • Priority fee distribution: Improved the distribution of the user’s priority fee, ensuring a more equitable allocation between Solana Validators and operators. While the previous implementation disproportionately allocated fees to operators, the updated mechanism distributes compute prices more effectively, aligning with the intended behavior.

6. Additional Resources​

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