Owner: @Daniel Sanchez Quiros

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I’ll debloat the document, just keeping whats important, and ping reviewers for review later on.

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Introduction

Nomos p2p network is the

Overview

The Nomos ecosystem is built upon a modular architecture that leverages three distinct and independent networks. Each of these networks is designed to fulfill specific functional requirements, ensuring optimal performance, scalability, and security for the broader system. These networks are categorized based on their accessibility and participation rules.

Classification of Networks

1. Public Networks:
   • Public networks within Nomos are open and permissionless, meaning that any node or light node can participate without requiring explicit authorization. This inclusivity fosters decentralization and broad participation, enabling a diverse range of actors to contribute to the network's operation and growth.
   • Public networks are ideal for scenarios where transparency, accessibility, and widespread engagement are paramount. For example, they may serve as the backbone for transaction dissemination or consensus mechanisms.
2. Private Networks:
   • In contrast, private networks are restricted and permissioned, requiring nodes to declare their service through the Service Declaration Protocol (SDP). The SDP acts as a gatekeeping mechanism, ensuring that only nodes with explicitly defined roles and permissions can actively participate in the network.
   • Private networks are tailored for use cases that demand higher levels of control, security, and privacy.

Construction

Public Network

The Nomos public network is used by any entity interested in information from the Nomos Bedrock. Any kind of validators, light clients, explorers, indexers, etc. can connect to and participate within the network.

The Nomos public network is based on:

1. Efficient Message Propagation with GossipSub

GossipSub is a gossip-based PubSub protocol designed for scalability and efficiency in decentralized networks. It operates by having peers exchange messages with a subset of their neighbors, reducing the overhead of broadcasting to the entire network. Key features include:

• Mesh Formation: Peers form a mesh network where they maintain connections to a subset of other peers. This ensures that messages are propagated efficiently without overwhelming the network.
• Gossip Dissemination: Peers periodically exchange metadata about messages they have seen, allowing them to request missing messages and fill gaps in their knowledge.
• Resilience to Churn: GossipSub is designed to handle dynamic network conditions, such as peers joining or leaving the network, ensuring reliable message delivery even in unstable environments.