Cardano is continuing work on its Dijkstra upgrade, with the first deployment targeted for mainnet by the end of 2026 and the broader hard fork process projected to take effect between Dec. 5, 2026, and Jan. 4, 2027, according to details released by Intersect.

The roadmap described by Intersect splits Dijkstra into two phases. The first phase is set to introduce Nested Transactions and Linear Leios, with a gradual rollout to mainnet targeted by the end of 2026. The second phase is expected to add Peras, which is currently anticipated to go live in the second quarter of 2027.

Intersect said node development and broader ecosystem preparation for the Dijkstra hard fork are progressing. Upcoming Haskell-based node releases are expected to open testing for Dijkstra-related functions, creating a staged path from software preparation to network-level activation.

Under the current schedule, cardano-node-11.1.1 is expected on mainnet by Sept. 7. Cardano-node-11.2 is planned to include the Dijkstra feature set in a testable form, though it is not described as the final hard fork candidate. Cardano-node-11.3 is intended to serve as that candidate and is expected to include the full Dijkstra function set.

After node 11.2, Cardano plans to establish DijkstraNet for testing across multiple components. Intersect also said constitutional change proposals tied to Dijkstra are expected to be presented publicly, suggesting the process will involve both technical rollout work and governance steps before the hard fork window opens.

Why It Matters

Dijkstra is a notable infrastructure roadmap event because it outlines how Cardano plans to deliver a multi-step protocol upgrade rather than a one-time release. For market participants and ecosystem developers, the significance is less about an immediate launch and more about whether the chain can coordinate software, testing, governance, and activation over a long timeline.

The phased design also matters for how the upgrade will be judged against other layer-1 networks. Cardano is signaling that key throughput and network performance changes may arrive in stages, which could shape developer planning, integration timing, and expectations around when the full feature set is actually available on mainnet.