Akula is an Ethereum client implementation that was built by core Ethereum developer Artem Vorotnikov and his associates in 2021. Ethereum clients are softwares which allow nodes to read blocks on the network and interact with smart contracts. However, Artem posted on Twitter yesterday that they would stop working on this project because they cannot compete with VCs backed by a billion-dollar investment fund.
Sadly we cannot outcompete multibillion VCs who copy-paste our architecture and code (open source, right?). Akula app is winding down and I’ll be taking a break from Ethereum core dev for the foreseeable future.”
The rival project mentioned here is Reth, a Rust-integrated Ethereum client backed by the crypto-focused investment firm Paradigm. Vorotnikov later shared multiple screenshots showing Paradigm CTO Georgios Konstantopoulos asking many details regarding Akula. At the time, Vorotnikov asked what Paradigm was building, assuming it would be built on Akula, but received no response.
Then, Akula developers heard that Paradigm had built its own project. In response, they decided to discontinue development of Akula because they know they cannot compete with their rival. Vorotnikov said he will take a break from Ethereum in the near future. He was also one of the developers of Erigon, an Ethereum client written in Go. Following Vorotnikov’s accusations, CTO Konstantopoulos said he will public details related to Reth. He insists Reth is not a copy or rewrite of any other client.
“Reth does not include code from any existing client but stands on the shoulders of giants including Geth, Erigon and Akula. We sponsored the project in the interest of client diversity, so we are sorry to see any other project ceasing development. It is a loss for the space.”
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