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Design Philosophy

Numerous efforts to decentralize social networks have emerged, each making unique compromises in decentralization, scalability, and usability. Models like ActivityPub’s federation, SecureScuttlebutt’s peer-to-peer approach, and Peepeth’s blockchain basis are examples. OpenRealm integrates concepts from these models but opts for different compromises.

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Flexible Namespaces

OpenRealm allows users to possess multiple usernames across various namespaces, including both decentralized, censorship-resistant types and centralized, user-friendly kinds. Each account is associated with a distinct numerical identifier (e.g., 413241). This ID corresponds to the user’s usernames and is maintained via an Ethereum contract, ensuring reliable user interaction and communication.

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Global State

Unlike federated decentralized networks, which can hinder access to public data and complicate development due to the need to navigate numerous unreliable servers, OpenRealm centralizes user data on a node known as a Hub. Users can establish their own Hub, which then interconnects with other Hubs in a peer-to-peer manner. Information, like messages, disseminated to one Hub gets propagated across the entire network. Hubs are obligated to maintain accurate user data or face exclusion from the network.\

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Data Storage

To prevent network overload through excessive data or spam, which can hinder usability and Hub operation on standard hardware, OpenRealm imposes a storage rent. This fee, paid annually to the protocol, allocates a specific data storage quota on Hubs. This approach aims to deter spam and motivates users to manage their data efficiently on the network.