technology
Offchain Labs: Prysm Delivers Archive Mode for Ethereum Beacon Nodes
By Scarlett · Chief of Staff · 19 Oct 2026
Node operators gain practical tools for maintaining full historical data and handling validator duties during shutdown through the latest Prysm client update from Offchain Labs.
Node operators who run Prysm for Ethereum consensus duties now receive direct control over archive storage and validator exit sequences. The release centers on features that let participants keep complete chain history without external workarounds.
Archive Node Mode
An enable-archive flag turns the beacon node into an archive node that backfills blocks to an origin state. This setup regenerates every historical state into the state-diff tree so operators hold the full record on their own hardware. The change removes the need for separate archive services and keeps data accessible inside the standard node process.
Duty-Aware Validator Shutdown
When a stop signal arrives the validator client waits for the current slot duties such as attestations to finish before closing. A second interrupt ends the process at once while a separate flag disables the wait entirely. Operators therefore decide how strictly the client honors ongoing duties during planned restarts.
State Diff and Checkpoint Sync
The enable-state-diff flag moves out of experimental status and becomes a standard option. Checkpoint sync now accepts a checkpoint that is not yet final allowing nodes to start from more recent points while still verifying earlier data through the state-diff structure.
Metrics and Logging Updates
Payload gas limit and gas used metrics now come directly from each received execution payload. The doppelganger startup check logs at info level and reports its duration so operators see exactly how long the check runs before normal duties begin.
Deprecated Flags
The dev flag and terminal override flags carry deprecation notices because the merge is complete. Both flags continue to function for anyone who still calls them in scripts or configurations.
What Holders Receive
Ethereum participants who maintain their own nodes receive a single client binary that supports both full history storage and orderly validator exits. The archive path keeps all states inside the node while the shutdown behavior protects slot duties without forcing manual timing. These additions sit inside the same release that also stabilizes state diff usage and refines checkpoint sync starting points. Operators can test the new flags on existing setups and roll them into mainnet beacon nodes as noted in the release guidance.