EIP-4844 (proto-danksharding) is a significant Ethereum improvement proposal that introduces a new transaction type called “blob-carrying transactions.” These transactions carry large “blobs” of data that are temporarily stored on the Ethereum consensus layer (beacon nodes) for a short period.
EIP-4844 is crucial because it sets the foundation for full Danksharding, a long-term scaling solution that splits Ethereum into smaller, more manageable “shards.” This sharding approach aims to significantly increase Ethereum’s transaction throughput. While not providing the full benefits of sharding, EIP-4844 significantly reduces transaction fees (particularly for rollups) and prepares the Ethereum network for its future sharded form.