Optional Infrastructure
ALX Blocks are created and verified locally. Content distribution, commitment evidence, and application discovery are optional layers around that deterministic core.
Choose infrastructure for the operational capability the application requires. Every layer preserves contentHash, blockHash, and declared parentHashes.
Choose a Path
Start with local Block creation and validation. Add IPFS only for content distribution, add commitments only for recorded evidence, and use XNDR Network only when its application discovery and indexing capabilities are needed.
Architecture at a Glance
| Concern | ALX Protocol | IPFS | Blockchain Commitments | XNDR Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary role | Defines Block structure, identity, lineage, and verification | Distributes bytes by CID | Records a Block-derived commitment | Discovers and indexes observed Blocks |
| Identifier | contentHash and blockHash | CID | blockHash or Merkle root hash | Source-scoped indexed references |
| Content handling | Validates supplied Block content | Retrieves serialized content | Keeps Block content off-chain | Presents application-governed indexed content |
| Application choice | Required protocol layer | Optional distribution layer | Optional evidence layer | Optional application and discovery layer |
Each layer adds a separate capability. Applications can combine the layers required by a workflow while preserving the same ALX Block identity.
Choose a Layer
- Application storage fits when one application controls Block persistence and retrieval.
- IPFS fits when content-addressed distribution by CID is useful. Keep the CID-to-
blockHashmapping in your application and arrange pinning when availability matters. - Blockchain Commitments fit when an independently verifiable record of a
blockHashor Merkle root is useful. The commitment records a value, not the Block content, ownership, correctness, or availability. - XNDR Network fits when your application needs XNDR Network discovery and indexing infrastructure. XNDR Network is an application layer built around ALX, not a requirement of the protocol.
Keep the Boundaries Clear
A CID is not an ALX Block identity. A blockchain commitment is not Block storage or lineage. An index observation is not proof that a Block exists globally or that it was created at the observed time.
Start with the protocol data and local validation. Add only the distribution, commitment, or application infrastructure that the workflow needs.