Ethereum execution clients implement history pruning under EIP-4444

Ethereum execution clients now support history pruning, as proposed in Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4444, allowing nodes to implement what's known as partial history. This reduces storage requirements by removing historical block data — particularly pre-Merge data — which can save about 300 GB to 500 GB of disk space for full nodes and validators.

All major Ethereum execution clients, such as Geth, Nethermind, Besu, and Erigon, have implemented partial history expiry in accordance with EIP-4444.

Prior to the update, all full nodes retained the complete history of the Ethereum blockchain, starting from its Genesis on July 30, 2015, up to the present. The update allows a major reduction in storage space for full nodes and validators.

"If you're a full node operator or a validator, this change will not affect you beyond the space savings as history is not needed to validate the head of the chain," Matt Garnett of the Geth client team said.

According to Garnett, this new update enables nodes to operate efficiently on a 2 TB disk by pruning data older than a specified period — typically one year (82,125 epochs) — while maintaining the current state and block headers for cryptographic verification.

While history pruning is supported, it's worth noting that it may limit access to historical data for applications that require it, potentially increasing reliance on centralized providers if decentralized alternatives are not properly maintained.