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 two-tier architecture designed to separate core network operations from client access.
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.
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 attempts to locate a DNA identity, the request is routed through the DHT until it reaches the nodes responsible for that identity's record.
This process allows identity lookups to occur without centralized registries or servers.
The Nodus network supports offline message delivery.
When a recipient is offline, encrypted messages can be temporarily stored within the network using distributed storage nodes.
When the recipient reconnects, their client retrieves the stored messages from the network.
This allows asynchronous communication while maintaining decentralization.
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.
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.
Any decentralized application can build on Nodus — forming a post-quantum capable decentralized communication stack.
Open beta — available for Android, Linux, and Windows. Open source under GPLv3.
Source code: GitLab · GitHub (Mirror)
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