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 23rd. Go to epf.wiki to get began.
Ethereum Protocol Research (EPS) is again. Since launching as a 10-week examine group forward of EPF5, EPS has grown into the first instructional on-ramp for anybody trying 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 improvement.
This yr’s program expands in each depth and format. EPS 2026 introduces two new content material tracks overlaying 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 monitor will give attention to the arithmetic and cryptography elementary to Ethereum. With fundamental math coaching, you’ll be taught ideas like elliptic curve pairings, KZG commitments, hash features, and the constructions shaping its future, together with zero-knowledge proof methods and post-quantum signature schemes.
Lean Consensus and zkEVM
With the latest progress on zkEVMs, this monitor covers the way forward for ethereum consensus. Individuals will discover how zkEVM implementations show execution correctness and the way these efforts connect with the broader objective of scaling and SNARKifying the Ethereum protocol.
A New Studying Platform
Earlier iterations of EPS relied on stay classes, Discord discussions, and the EPF Wiki as the first studying surfaces. These stay core to this system. However beginning this yr, EPS can also be accessible by means of 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 examine group classes with interactive assessments within the type of comprehension checks embedded instantly in lecture recordings. Individuals can work by means of the content material at their very own tempo, with progress monitoring and clear studying aims for every part.
The educational platform enhances the stay program reasonably than changing it. Cohort members nonetheless profit from seminar-style discussions with protocol engineers, real-time Q&A, and collaborative work by means of the EPF Wiki and Discord. The platform helps monitor your progress, check your data and ensures that the barrier to entry is as little as potential.
What to anticipate in 2026
Individuals in EPS 2026 can anticipate:
- Intro session on Monday, February twenty third
- Two onboarding weeks that includes foundational content material by means of the brand new examine platform.
- 5 weeks of latest content material beginning March ninth; two classes per week overlaying cryptography and lean consensus/zkEVM.
- Dwell seminar-style discussions with core builders, researchers, and previous EPF fellows
- A devoted Discord server for protocol discussions
- Alternatives to contribute to collaborative documentation through epf.wiki
The EPF Wiki: A Residing Data Base
epf.wiki continues to function a complete, community-maintained data base for the Ethereum protocol. It covers execution and consensus layer specs, shopper structure, testing infrastructure, and lively analysis areas. Contributions from EPS members have been important to preserving it present and complete, and we encourage everybody to assist broaden and refine its content material.
Get Concerned
The examine group is for anybody concerned 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 gives a structured path from foundational ideas to the leading edge.
Get began by exploring epf.wiki and becoming a member of the Discord.
