Starknet v0.14.4 goes live on mainnet with bigger proofs and gas tweaks

Starknet pushed version 0.14.4 to mainnet on October 5, 2026, and the defining theme of the release is scale.

The upgrade also brings small gas-pricing adjustments, removes some legacy infrastructure, and sets a firm requirement for node operators to update their software.

What actually changed under the hood

The release first went live on testnet, with activation on September 15, 2026. That gave builders and infrastructure providers a few weeks to kick the tires before the mainnet switch.

The centerpiece is an expansion of SNIP-36, a Starknet improvement proposal focused on proving off-chain work. Developers can run compute-heavy logic off-chain, then submit the result to Starknet as one proven transaction.

Instead of paying full execution fees for every step of that computation, developers pay proof fees.

With v0.14.4, the ceiling on that approach rises substantially. Proofs of eligible single-transaction virtual blocks can now reach up to 1.1B Layer 2 gas, which is approximately the scale of a full Starknet block.

The second notable change concerns gas weights, which determine how much different operations cost. Starknet made minor adjustments designed to align transaction pricing with the actual economic costs borne by the sequencer and the broader network.

Based on recent traffic data, the adjustments are aimed at shifting costs by less than 1% for the majority of transactions.

The housekeeping that can still break things

Starknet has deprecated and removed legacy feeder gateway endpoints, including call and get_storage_at. Any application or tool still leaning on those endpoints will need to migrate elsewhere.

The team also began internal sequencer improvements. One of these moves the block committer into Starknet’s Apollo processes.

The most urgent item belongs to node operators. Full nodes must run either Pathfinder v0.24.0 or Juno v0.16.6 to keep operating on the upgraded network.

Proofs generated under v0.14.3 are rejected by the new verifier, so outdated setups will not simply limp along.

Where this fits in Starknet’s roadmap

Starknet is a Layer 2 network built on STARK technology, a cryptographic proof system that lets large amounts of computation be verified cheaply.

The network is working through a multi-year roadmap centered on three goals: improving performance, refining fee structures, and moving toward decentralization.

The previous release, v0.14.3, introduced dynamic L2 gas fees alongside performance enhancements. Version 0.14.4 builds directly on that foundation, with gas-weight tweaks fine-tuning what individual operations should cost within that system.

What this means for developers, operators, and STRK holders

For developers, the expanded SNIP-36 capacity is the headline. Applications built around heavy computation now have a path to settle that work on Starknet in a single proven transaction, paying for the proof rather than every individual step.

For node operators and infrastructure providers, the takeaway is less abstract. Pathfinder v0.24.0 or Juno v0.16.6 is now a requirement, and any tooling built on the removed feeder gateway endpoints needs attention.

For holders of STRK, Starknet’s native token, the token has drawn market attention tied to the upgrade cycle and its link to how fees are structured.