Ethereum: The operation is not valid with the current stack size
The Ethereum (EVM) virtual machine is the basic engine that feeds the Ethereum blockchain. One of its fundamental concepts is the operation, which is a way to perform blockchain instructions. However, as mentioned in [1], the current size of the EVM stack may not be sufficient to manage certain operations.
BIP65 and the size of the EVM stack
The BIP-0065 specification defines the maximum number of bytes that can fit on the stack for an operation. According to this standard, the size of the stack is 256 bytes. However, in practice, the real size of the stack may vary depending on the implementation and the specific use case.
Example Script: Operation is not valid
Here is a simple script that demonstrates what happens when you try to perform an operation with insufficient stacking space:
`C.
Pragma solidity ^0.8.0;
Simpleoperation contract {
Bytes Memory Data = “Hello, World!”;
MyFunction () Pure Pure Returns (Bytes) Function {
IF
// verify that data size is less than 256 bytes
HASH160
// if true, execute the operation and return the result
}
}
}
`
In this example, we try to perform an operation that checks ifdata. Length` is less than half its size. However, as “Data.length” is currently 32 bytes (the length of the string “Hello, World”), this operation will not be performed.
What follows?
To overcome this limitation, developers may consider the use of techniques such as:
- Buffering
: Store the data in a buffer before checking its size.
- Dynamic allocation of stacks : Assign more memory for each execution to adapt to higher operations.
- Paging : Divide the EVM stack into several pages and change each other based on the operating requirements.
Conclusion
While the current size of the Ethereum virtual machine stack may be sufficient for many cases of use, it is essential to consider these limitations when designing and implementing blockchain applications. Understanding how EVM works and finding ways to optimize its performance, developers can build more efficient and scalable blockchain solutions.
References:
[1]
Note: This article is only for informative purposes and should not be considered as investment tips.
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