Core Principles

  1. User Data Ownership
    Users store data locally instead of on corporate servers. Users control data through permissions and trust relationships.

  2. Schema-Based Access
    Data access requires formally defined JSON schemas that specify structure, permissions, and payment requirements. This ensures validation, access control, and monetization.

  3. Trust-Based Security
    Trust distance determines access rights and costs. Lower trust distances indicate higher trust, enabling broader access and lower fees.

  4. No Direct Data Access
    All operations require schema validation, permission checks, and payment verification. This prevents unauthorized access and ensures operation auditing.

  5. Append-Only Storage
    FoldDB creates new versions through atomic operations rather than overwriting data. This preserves change history, enabling version tracking and audit trails.

  6. Lightning Network Payments

graph LR
    U[User] -->|Query + Payment| S[Schema]
    S -->|Hold Invoice| U
    S -->|Verify| L[Lightning Network]
    L -->|Confirm| S
    S -->|Results| U

Data access includes micropayments through Lightning Network with hold invoices ensuring atomic operations. This creates a sustainable economy while preventing spam.

  1. Schema Marketplace
    Schemas earn developers Lightning Network payments when used. Quality schemas rise in popularity, creating a self-regulating marketplace.

  2. Performance-Optimized Storage

graph TD
    D[Data] -->|Store| A[Atoms]
    A -->|Reference| R[AtomRefs]
    R -->|Cache| C[Fast Access]
    A -->|Link| H[Version History]

FoldDB optimizes for quick reads through efficient storage and caching, while maintaining version history and consistency.

  1. Thread-Safe Operations
    Components support concurrent operations while maintaining data consistency and atomic guarantees.

  2. Field-Level Control

graph TD
    S[Schema] -->|Define| F[Fields]
    F -->|Specify| P[Permissions]
    F -->|Set| C[Costs]
    F -->|Configure| T[Transforms]

Permissions, payments, and transformations operate at the field level, providing granular control over data.

  1. Explicit Transformations
    Schema transformations require explicit mapping rules to ensure data integrity and maintain permission boundaries.

  2. Privacy by Default

graph TD
    R[Request] -->|Check| S[Schema]
    S -->|Verify| P[Permissions]
    P -->|Calculate| T[Trust]
    T -->|Confirm| Pay[Payment]
    Pay -->|Allow/Deny| A[Access]

Access is denied by default. Only permitted operations through validated schemas with proper permissions and payments are allowed.

  1. Trust-Based Pricing
    Costs scale with trust distance, incentivizing trusted relationships while maintaining security.

  2. Atomic Guarantees
    All operations (reads, writes, transformations) are atomic, ensuring consistency during complex operations or concurrent access.

  3. Verifiable History

graph LR
    A1[Atom v1] -->|Link| A2[Atom v2]
    A2 -->|Link| A3[Atom v3]
    AR[AtomRef] -->|Latest| A3

The append-only architecture maintains a chain of changes, enabling auditing and version control.

  1. Resource Fairness
    System resources are allocated through:
  • Trust-based access control
  • Payment requirements
  • Usage monitoring
  • Performance optimization
  1. Schema Evolution
    Schemas can evolve while maintaining:
  • Data integrity
  • Permission boundaries
  • Payment configurations
  • Transform mappings
  1. Security First
    Security features include:
  • Public key authentication
  • Trust distance validation
  • Payment verification
  • Schema validation
  • Atomic operations
  • Error recovery

These principles create a system that balances:

  • Security and accessibility
  • Performance and consistency
  • Privacy and usability
  • Cost and value
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