mirror of
https://github.com/ilyakooo0/urbit.git
synced 2024-12-24 07:26:51 +03:00
113 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
113 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
hide: true
|
|
next: true
|
|
sort: 10
|
|
title: Launch
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
# Launch procedure
|
|
|
|
An urbit is a persistent server on the Urbit P2P network.
|
|
You'll create one of these servers now. To understand what
|
|
you're building, you need to know a little about the network.
|
|
|
|
## Launch instructions
|
|
|
|
If you have an invitation, it's a planet like `~fintud-macrep`
|
|
and a ticket like `~fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres`. Run
|
|
|
|
urbit -w fintud-macrep -t fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres
|
|
|
|
(You can leave the `~` on, but it annoys some Unix shells.)
|
|
|
|
If you don't have an invitation, pick a nickname for your comet,
|
|
like `mycomet`. Urbit will randomly generate a 128-bit plot:
|
|
|
|
urbit -c mycomet
|
|
|
|
Either way, creating your urbit will take some time. Some of
|
|
this time involves creating keys; some of it involves downloading
|
|
code over Urbit itself. Go get a cup of coffee, and/or absorb
|
|
the miscellaneous true facts below:
|
|
|
|
## Network architecture
|
|
|
|
An Urbit address is a number, or *plot*, under 2^128. Every
|
|
server on the Urbit network has one unique plot.
|
|
|
|
Since Urbit is designed as a personal server, a plot is both a
|
|
network address and a digital identity. There is no additional
|
|
human-meaningful name layer like the DNS. Plots will never be
|
|
meaningful; but to make them as memorable as possible, we type
|
|
them in a phonemic syntax with one byte per syllable, like
|
|
`~harlyx-rocsev` for `0x510b.9441`.
|
|
|
|
Urbit address space is cryptographic property, like Bitcoin, but
|
|
Urbit doesn't use a blockchain. Plots are digital land, not
|
|
digital currency; you own your urbit cryptographically, but you
|
|
don't get it by mining. In land, transfers are infrequent and
|
|
not frictionless. (Right now, all keys are test keys, and there
|
|
are no transfers, only initial invitations.)
|
|
|
|
Urbit is semi-decentralized: it overlays a 64-bit hierarchical
|
|
structure on the low end of a 128-bit fingerprint namespace. If
|
|
you have an invitation, it's a *ticket* that lets you create a
|
|
32-bit plot, aka *planet*. If you don't have an invitation, you
|
|
have to create a 128-bit plot, aka *comet*.
|
|
|
|
As a comet, you're not necessarily a bad person. But you could
|
|
be anyone, so you have zero reputation. You have no official
|
|
access to any Urbit services. Any connectivity you may enjoy
|
|
could be shut off at any time, and it probably will be. If the
|
|
Internet has proven one thing, it's that positive default
|
|
reputation and effectively infinite number of identities don't mix.
|
|
|
|
## Substrate interactions
|
|
|
|
Urbit doesn't run on bare chips and wires, at least not at
|
|
present. It runs as a Unix process and sends UDP packets.
|
|
|
|
Since Urbit is a P2P network that runs over random UDP ports,
|
|
some firewalls may not like it. Urbit without connectivity still
|
|
works as an interpreter, but it can't launch without the network.
|
|
|
|
If run as `root`, the `urbit` process can only read and write
|
|
inside the `fintud-macrep` or `mycomet` directory, which we call
|
|
your *pier*. A pier is portable; any Urbit install on any OS can
|
|
execute the same pier. (But don't *ever* run the same pier or
|
|
plot on two computers at once.)
|
|
|
|
In the pier directory is a set of user-level mount points. Mount
|
|
points are synced Dropbox style, with Unix file changes
|
|
autocommitted to the Urbit revision control system (`%clay`) and
|
|
vice versa. (Urbit does not have its own editor -- you edit
|
|
Urbit code either with an Unix editor on a mounted file, or with
|
|
a Web editor from your browser.)
|
|
|
|
Also within the pier is a system directory, `.urb/`, which
|
|
contains an event log (`egz.hope`), a checkpoint (`.chk`), and
|
|
I/O directories for uploads and downloads (`put` and `get`).
|
|
You can compact the pier by deleting the checkpoint, although
|
|
that means Urbit needs to re-execute its entire event history.
|
|
This will take some time. Go have a beer.
|
|
|
|
Also in `.urb` is a file like `code.~rosrev-dinnul`. This is
|
|
your passcode; all data in the pier [XX: not yet the checkpoint]
|
|
is encrypted with it. For extra security, print out or memorize
|
|
the contents of this file, then delete it; Urbit will prompt for
|
|
the passcode on startup. Please be warned that Urbit is not at
|
|
present secure in any way!
|
|
|
|
## Complete launch procedure
|
|
|
|
Wait until you see a prompt, either
|
|
|
|
~fintud-macrep:talk()
|
|
or
|
|
|
|
~fintud-macrep:dojo>
|
|
|
|
and then press ^D to quit.
|
|
|
|
Your urbit is launched! Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space.
|