The Nodus Network is the decentralized networking layer of the DNA protocol. It provides peer discovery, routing, identity resolution, and distributed storage without relying on centralized servers.
Nodus is built as a post-quantum secure distributed hash table (DHT) network where nodes cooperate to locate peers, route encrypted messages, and store temporary data across the network. All operations are cryptographically signed (ML-DSA-87), with built-in support for key encapsulation (ML-KEM-1024) and AES-256-GCM encryption.
Instead of relying on a central infrastructure, the Nodus network forms a self-organizing mesh of nodes that collectively maintain the routing and discovery layer used by DNA services such as DNA Connect and DNA Identity.
The Nodus network operates using a three-tier architecture designed to separate core network operations, client access, and validation.
The node backbone of the network. Nodus nodes communicate directly with each other using TCP and UDP.
This layer maintains the distributed hash table, performs peer discovery, and handles message routing across the global network. Tier 1 nodes form the core mesh infrastructure that keeps the network decentralized and resilient.
The client access layer. Applications such as DNA Connect connect to Nodus nodes over TCP.
Through this connection, clients can resolve DNA identities, send encrypted messages, retrieve offline messages, publish or fetch distributed data, and communicate with other peers through the network. Clients do not communicate directly with each other — they interact with the Nodus network through connected nodes.
A higher-trust validation layer built on BFT consensus with PQ cryptographic proofs.
Tier 3 nodes provide transaction witnessing, attestation, and trust anchoring for operations requiring stronger guarantees than DHT storage alone — such as financial transactions and identity verification.
At its core, Nodus operates as a distributed hash table. The DHT allows nodes to locate information and peers without centralized coordination.
Each node is responsible for a portion of the keyspace and can store or route data associated with those keys. This mechanism allows the network to:
All operations are performed collectively by the network nodes.
DNA identities are resolved through the Nodus network. When a client looks up a DNA name, the request is routed through the DHT until it reaches the nodes responsible for that identity's record — no centralized registries or servers involved.
Each identity record contains the data needed to establish secure communication:
The Nodus network supports offline message delivery. When a recipient is offline, encrypted messages are temporarily stored across distributed storage nodes until the recipient reconnects and retrieves them.
This enables asynchronous communication while maintaining full decentralization — no central inbox server, minimal routing metadata.
Nodus removes the need for centralized messaging servers. Instead of relying on a single infrastructure provider, the network operates as a global peer-to-peer mesh where nodes collectively maintain routing, discovery, and temporary storage.
This design improves:
The network continues to function as long as nodes remain connected.
Post-quantum authenticated peer-to-peer circuits over the Nodus network. Establish direct encrypted connections between DNA identities for file transfer, voice signalling, and general-purpose data tunneling.
Send files directly to another DNA user. Data is chunked into 64 KiB frames and streamed over the circuit — no central file server.
Circuit infrastructure provides the signalling channel for future voice and video calls. Media transport over UDP is planned.
Any application can open an authenticated bidirectional byte-stream between two DNA identities. General-purpose transport primitive.
Circuits are addressed by DNA identity. The network resolves peer location and routes automatically — no manual configuration.
| Parameter | Value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Hops | 2–3 | Same-nodus (2) or cross-nodus (3) routing |
| Frame Size | 64 KiB max | Maximum payload per circuit data frame |
| Session Circuits | 16 max | Concurrent circuits per client session |
| Server Circuits | 256 max | Global inter-node circuit limit per server |
| Open Timeout | 5 seconds | Circuit establishment timeout |
Nodus is the infrastructure layer of the DNA ecosystem. While DNA applications provide user-facing functionality, Nodus provides the underlying decentralized networking system that connects identities and peers.
Decentralized identity resolution — human-readable names tied to cryptographic key pairs, resolved through the Nodus DHT.
Post-quantum encrypted communication — messages routed and delivered through the Nodus network with offline support.
DNAC digital cash and any future decentralized application can build on Nodus — forming a post-quantum capable infrastructure stack.
Every protocol operation is cryptographically signed and verified.
| Parameter | Value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Keyspace | 512-bit (SHA3-512) | DHT address space for node and data routing |
| Replication Factor | k = 8 | Data stored on 8 closest nodes for redundancy |
| Data TTL | 7 days | Temporary storage lifetime for messages and records |
| Wire Protocol | CBOR | Compact binary encoding over framed TCP/UDP |
| Signing | ML-DSA-87 (Dilithium5) | All protocol operations signed and verified |
| Encryption | ML-KEM-1024 + AES-256-GCM | Post-quantum key exchange and payload encryption |
Open source under Apache 2.0 — all post-quantum cryptographic primitives are built in-house with no external dependencies. See source code.
Encrypted messaging, multi-chain wallet, and decentralized identity — one app, three platforms.
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