Gateway Registry

Overview

The AR.IO Network consists of AR.IO gateway nodes, which are identified by their registered Arweave wallet addresses and either their IP addresses or hostnames, as stored in the network's smart contract Gateway Address Registry (GAR).

Any gateway operator that wishes to join the AR.IO Network must register their node in the AR.IO smart contract's Gateway Address Registry. Registration involves staking a minimum amount of ARIO tokens and providing additional metadata describing the gateway service offered.

These nodes adhere to the AR.IO Network's protocols, creating a collaborative environment of gateway nodes that vary in scale and specialization. The network promotes a fundamental level of service quality and trust minimization among its participants.

Benefits of Joining the Network

Being part of the network grants AR.IO gateways an array of advantages:

• Simplified advertising of services and discovery by end users via the Gateway Address Registry
• More rapid bootstrapping of key gateway operational data due to prioritized data request fulfillment among gateways joined to the network
• Sharing of data processing results
• Auditability and transparency through the use of AGPL-3 licenses, which mandate public disclosure of any software changes, thereby reinforcing the network's integrity and reliability
• Improved network reliability and performance through an incentive protocol, which uses a system of evaluations and rewards to encourage high-quality service from gateways
• Eligibility to accept delegated staking improving a gateway's discoverability and reward opportunities
• Eligibility to receive distributions from the protocol balance - Gateways that have joined the network are eligible to receive token distributions based on their performance and contributions to the network

How the GAR Works

After joining the network, the operator's gateway can be easily discovered by permaweb apps, its health can be observed, and it can participate in data sharing protocols. A gateway becomes eligible to participate in the network's incentive protocol in the epoch following the one they joined in.

The GAR advertises the specific attributes of each gateway including its stake, delegates, settings and services. This enables permaweb apps and users to discover which gateways are currently available and meet their needs. Apps that read the GAR can sort and filter it using the gateway metadata, for example, ranking gateways with the highest stake, reward performance, or feature set at the top of the list. This allows users to prefer the higher staked, more rewarded gateways with certain capabilities over lower staked, less rewarded gateways.

Token Incentives and Network Monitoring

The AR.IO network uses a sophisticated incentive system to ensure gateway quality and reliability:

• Token Incentives: Learn more about how gateways earn rewards and participate in the network economy in the Token section
• Observer Protocol: The network employs an Observer system that monitors gateway performance and ensures quality of service. Learn more about the Observer & Incentive Protocol and how it maintains network integrity

Recap

The Gateway Registry is the foundation of the AR.IO network's decentralized infrastructure. Key takeaways:

• Network Participation: Gateways must register and stake ARIO tokens to join the network
• Protocol Distributions: Registered gateways are eligible to receive token distributions from the protocol balance
• Observer Monitoring: The network employs an Observer and Incentives Protocol that monitors gateway performance and ensures quality of service
• Staking & Rewards: Gateways earn rewards based on performance through a sophisticated staking system that includes delegation opportunities
• Discoverability: The GAR enables apps and users to find suitable gateways based on their needs
• Performance-Based Selection: Gateway metadata allows for intelligent routing based on stake, performance, and capabilities
• Transparent Ecosystem: All gateway information is publicly accessible through the smart contract and at gateways.ar.io

By joining the network, gateways become part of a collaborative ecosystem that rewards quality service and ensures reliable access to the permaweb.

Explore the Gateway Ecosystem