Cardano Dijkstra hard fork on schedule, Amaru node targets November 2026

Dijkstra hard fork phases and technical upgrades

The Dijkstra era will be introduced through two main phases. Phase 1 will deliver Nested Transactions along with Linear Leios to the Cardano Mainnet by the end of 2026, aiming for an incremental rollout of key capabilities. Phase 2, which will enable Peras, is scheduled for activation in an intra-era hard fork planned for the second quarter of 2027.

Dijkstra will bring a range of substantial upgrades to Cardano, notably including Ouroboros Leios. This upgrade is set to allow for new and updatable protocol parameters. Cardano’s Constitution mandates that only parameters expressly listed in its Guardrails are eligible for governance-led changes.

In line with these constitutional requirements, stakeholders intend to introduce all necessary Dijkstra parameters in a single, unified proposal. This approach aims to maintain coherence and clarity during the protocol update, avoiding fragmentation over multiple proposals.

Node diversity: Amaru’s progress and goals

The ongoing development of alternative node software for Cardano was also highlighted as a significant factor in strengthening the network’s resilience. Increased node diversity helps reduce reliance on a sole implementation, offering added security and flexibility for the ecosystem.

Amaru, a fully open-source Cardano node implementation built with the Rust programming language, has demonstrated important advancements. The development team confirmed that Amaru is now relay-capable and successfully validates and syncs to the network tip. The team has set a target to enable mainnet block production in November 2026, which would further expand the node diversity available to Cardano users and operators.

Mini dictionary: Amaru, a Cardano node implementation written in Rust, aims to provide a modular and robust alternative to Cardano’s existing Haskell-based nodes. Relay-capable nodes can participate in propagating blocks and transactions, while block-producing capability enables direct involvement in the consensus process.

Design priorities for Amaru include interoperability, a modular structure, and reduced hardware requirements, targeting improved options for both developers and stake pool operators in the Cardano network.

Constitutional update and community governance

Ahead of the Dijkstra era, Cardano is preparing a technical update to its Constitution to ensure that all upcoming features and parameters will be addressable by the network’s governance structure from launch.

Intersect stated that amendments associated with Dijkstra now follow a streamlined path for community discussion, proposal submission, and formal enactment. This process leverages the newly introduced Constitutional Amendment Portal (CAP), which facilitates transparent dialogue and voting, and is supported by the Civics Committee.

The most recent report emphasized that governance processes and community participation remain a focus as Cardano approaches these significant technical and procedural milestones.

Cardano’s Constitution enforces strict guardrails, stating that protocol parameters not explicitly listed may not be altered through governance. As the Dijkstra era approaches, all relevant parameters will be introduced via a single coordinated proposal.