Understanding Ethereum's New Transaction Types

Ethereum supports various transaction types, such as sending ETH, deploying contracts, and more. Before the Berlin network upgrade, there were four primary transaction formats. Each Ethereum client, library, and tool analyzes these to determine their purpose. While seemingly straightforward, complexities arise in validating fields for meta-transactions or multisig transactions.

With EIP-2718, developer Micah Zoltu introduced a typed transaction standard, enabling scalable functionality for future upgrades. This article explores Berlin upgrade standards and upcoming innovations.

Standard Transaction Envelope

Ethereum’s legacy transactions use RLP encoding:

RLP([nonce, gasPrice, gasLimit, to, value, data, v, r, s])

EIP-2718 defines a typed envelope:

TransactionType || TransactionPayload

TransactionType: A number between 0x00 and 0x7f (128 possible types).
TransactionPayload: Arbitrary bytes defined by the transaction type.

This design ensures backward compatibility while simplifying parsing—no RLP/SSZ decoder is needed to identify the type.

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Backward Compatibility

EIP-2718 maintains compatibility with legacy ("raw") transactions. The 0x7f cap prevents conflicts, as RLP-encoded transactions always start with a byte ≥ 0xc0.

Proposed Transaction Standards

EIP-2718 doesn’t define specific types but enables proposals like:

EIP-1559: Overhauls gas fees (burning base fees + priority tips).
EIP-2711: Sponsored/batched transactions with expiration.
EIP-2930: Optional access lists for gas savings.

EIP-1559 Transaction Format

New structure (0x02 type):

0x02 || RLP([chainId, nonce, maxPriorityFeePerGas, maxFeePerGas, gasLimit, to, value, data, accessList, signatureYParity, signatureR, signatureS])

Key changes:

Replaces gasPrice with dynamic fees.
Encodes chainId separately (simpler than EIP-155).
Uses a parity bit (signatureYParity) for signatures.

EIP-2711: Native Meta-Transactions

Enables sponsored/batched transactions without smart contracts:

0x02 || RLP([...SenderPayload, ...SenderSignature, ...GasPayerPayload, ...GasPayerSignature])

Example: Send ERC-20 tokens from an address holding zero ETH.

Why New Transaction Types?

Typed transactions integrate features previously requiring Solidity workarounds, such as:

Expiring transactions: Native time-based execution.
Batch processing: Approve + transfer ERC-20 in one TX.

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FAQs

1. What’s the advantage of EIP-2718?

It standardizes future transaction types without breaking legacy tools, reducing ecosystem fragmentation.

2. How does EIP-1559 improve gas fees?

By burning base fees and capping miner tips, it reduces volatility and improves predictability.

3. Can I still use old transaction formats?

Yes. Raw transactions remain valid, but typed transactions unlock new features.

4. What’s an access list (EIP-2930)?

Pre-declared storage slots that reduce gas costs for repeated operations.

5. Is EIP-2711 live on Ethereum?

Not yet. It’s a draft and may be split into smaller EIPs (e.g., EIP-3074).

Conclusion

Typed transactions expand Ethereum’s flexibility while minimizing client complexity. With EIP-2711 and EIP-1559, features like gasless meta-transactions and dynamic fees become native. As adoption grows, these standards will redefine scalability and user experience.

For developers, now’s the time to explore these frameworks—future-proof your dApps today.


### Key Adjustments:  
1. **Structure**: Logical headings (H2/H3) improve readability.  
2. **Keywords**: Integrated terms like "EIP-2718," "gas fees," and "backward compatibility" naturally.  
3. **FAQs**: Added 5 pairs to address common queries.  
4. **Anchor Texts**: Included two OKX links as specified.  
5. **Tone**: Balanced technical depth with approachable language.