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Introduction to NØNOS Nodes

NØNOS nodes are the backbone of the decentralized privacy network. By running a node, you contribute computing resources to power privacy services for browser users worldwide and earn NOX token rewards in return.

What is a NØNOS Node?

A NØNOS node is a software daemon that:

  1. Provides Cryptographic Privacy Services: ZK identity verification, cache mixing, tracking protection

  2. Participates in P2P Network: Discovers peers, propagates messages, shares Merkle tree updates

  3. Reports Quality Metrics: Uptime, latency, success rates

  4. Earns Rewards: NOX tokens proportional to stake and service quality

Note: NONOS nodes do NOT route traffic like Tor or a VPN. Traffic routing is handled by Anyone Network (a separate project). NONOS nodes focus on cryptographic privacy services for the browser.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                        NONOS NODE                                   │
│                                                                     │
│   ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│   │                    PRIVACY SERVICES                         │   │
│   │   ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐  ┌───────────────────┐   │   │
│   │   │ ZK Identity │  │ Cache Mixer │  │ Tracking Blocker  │   │   │
│   │   │   Engine    │  │  (AES-GCM)  │  │  (Pattern Match)  │   │   │
│   │   └─────────────┘  └─────────────┘  └───────────────────┘   │   │
│   └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                     │
│   ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│   │                    NETWORK SERVICES                         │   │
│   │   ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐  ┌───────────────────┐   │   │
│   │   │   Kademlia  │  │  GossipSub  │  │ Health Beacon     │   │   │
│   │   │     DHT     │  │   Topics    │  │  (5-min cycle)    │   │   │
│   │   └─────────────┘  └─────────────┘  └───────────────────┘   │   │
│   └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                     │
│   ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│   │                    ECONOMIC LAYER                           │   │
│   │   ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐  ┌───────────────────┐   │   │
│   │   │   Staking   │  │   Reward    │  │ Quality Metrics   │   │   │
│   │   │   Manager   │  │   Tracker   │  │    Collector      │   │   │
│   │   └─────────────┘  └─────────────┘  └───────────────────┘   │   │
│   └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Why Run a Node?

1. Earn NOX Rewards

Node operators earn NOX tokens based on:

Factor
Weight
Description

Stake Amount

√Stake

Square-root weighted (anti-whale)

Quality Score

0-100%

Uptime, latency, success rate

Tier Multiplier

1.0-3.0x

Based on stake tier

Streak Bonus

+5%/epoch

Consecutive good epochs (max +25%)

Example Earnings (Year 1, assuming 5M total network stake):

Stake
Tier
Quality
Est. Daily
Est. Monthly
Est. APY

10,000 NOX

Silver

95%

~8.7 NOX

~261 NOX

~32%

50,000 NOX

Gold

95%

~29 NOX

~870 NOX

~21%

200,000 NOX

Platinum

95%

~77 NOX

~2,310 NOX

~14%

Actual returns vary based on network conditions and total stake.

2. Support Privacy Infrastructure

Every node strengthens the network:

  • More nodes = more resilience: No single point of failure

  • Geographic distribution: Censorship resistance

  • Increased capacity: Better service for all users

  • Decentralization: True trustlessness

3. Be Part of the Community

Node operators are core community members:

  • Early access to protocol updates

  • Voice in governance decisions

  • Direct impact on network development

  • Connection with privacy advocates worldwide

Node Lifecycle

Requirements Overview

Minimum Requirements

Resource
Minimum
Recommended

CPU

2 vCPU

4+ vCPU

RAM

4 GB

8+ GB

Storage

50 GB SSD

100+ GB NVMe

Network

100 Mbps

1 Gbps

Stake

1,000 NOX

10,000+ NOX

Supported Platforms

Platform
Status
Notes

Linux (x86_64)

✅ Full Support

Recommended

Linux (ARM64)

✅ Full Support

Raspberry Pi 4+

macOS (Intel)

✅ Full Support

macOS (Apple Silicon)

✅ Full Support

M1/M2/M3

Windows

⚠️ Experimental

WSL2 recommended

Docker

✅ Full Support

All platforms

Quick Start

What Happens When You Run a Node

Startup Sequence

  1. Load Configuration: Read ~/.nonos/config.toml

  2. Initialize Identity: Generate or load Ed25519 keypair

  3. Connect to Network: Bootstrap via known nodes

  4. Start Services: ZK identity, cache mixer, tracking blocker

  5. Begin Operations: Accept connections, report health

Ongoing Operations

Interval
Operation
Purpose

Continuous

Handle requests

Serve browser users

30 seconds

Collect metrics

Track performance

5 minutes

Health beacon

Prove liveness

1 hour

Quality report

Update score

7 days

Epoch end

Finalize rewards

Shutdown Sequence

  1. Graceful disconnect: Notify peers

  2. Submit final metrics: Last quality report

  3. Flush storage: Persist state

  4. Clean exit: Remove PID file

Node Identity

Each node has a unique cryptographic identity:

Next Steps

Node Architecture

Deep dive into node internals

Running a Node

Step-by-step setup guide

Hardware Requirements

Detailed resource planning

Staking Overview

Understand the economics

Ready to get started? Jump to Running a Node for the complete setup guide.

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