Glossary

Discover key Ternoa concepts, functionalities, and fundamental principles.

Alphanet

Test network on the Ternoa blockchain. The goal of the Alphanet network is to test features before the final version is released on the Mainnet blockchain. The tokens on Alphanet have no real world value, so developers can deploy, test, and execute their projects on a functioning blockchain freely.

Auction

A method of selling in which NFT owners list their digital assets for potential buyers to place bids. The NFT goes to the highest bidder at the end of a predefined time period. This competitive process often starts with a minimum price set by the seller and can generate excitement around the NFT's value.

Blockchain

A blockchain is a digital concept to store data. This data can be anything from transactions, account balances, and network states–stored on a ledger that every network member is free to access. This data comes in blocks, so imagine blocks of digital data. These blocks are chained together using cryptographic algorithms, making their data impossible to change.

Bridge

A blockchain bridge provides a connection that allows for the transfer of tokens between two different blockchain ecosystems.

CAPS

CAPS is the native token of the Ternoa blockchain. All transactions on the network are carried out in CAPS.

Capsules

With this enhanced NFT users can store all their digital assets without worrying about storage limitations. The capsules also have transmission protocols triggered based on an event or time. Capsule NFTs are similar to Secret NFTs, but they can store unlimited encrypted data and be transferred over time. Capsules are an enhanced form of NFTs that can take any number of files in encrypted media. Users can convert an existing basic NFT into a Capsule NFT, create an on-chain Secret NFT, remove the capsule part of an NFT, and set the capsule's off-chain data. Capsules are mutable unlike secret NFTs, and can be minted for a fee that can be changed through governance. Capsules use decentralized solutions to provide real data privacy, allowing users to take ownership of their data.

Collection

Creating a collection for NFTs involves grouping together non-fungible tokens that share a common theme or attribute and organizing them. This allows for easy tracking, management, and trading of NFTs with unique properties and value. Collections are represented by smart contracts in EVM/Smart Contract based systems, but Ternoa allows users to create and own collections with consistent rules, making it easier to group NFTs with similar attributes and improve the user experience.

Consensus

Consensus is a crucial part of any blockchain network, as it is the process by which all nodes in the network come to an agreement about the current state of the distributed ledger. It ensures that every new block added to the blockchain is the only version of the truth that is agreed upon by all nodes in the network, providing reliability and trust between unknown peers in a decentralized computing environment. Without consensus, there would be no way to ensure that the state of the blockchain is shared accurately by all nodes, making it impossible for the network to continue building and moving forward. (read more section)

dApp

A decentralized app (also known dApp) operates on a blockchain or peer-to-peer network of computers.

Delegation

Ternoa’s NFT delegation allows NFT owners to share the utilities of their NFTs without giving up ownership - there will be no exchange of money, you do not give up your NFT ownership rights, and the NFT stays in your wallet.

Enclave

Inside a TEE are isolated compartments known as enclaves, which are protected environments where sensitive data can be securely processed. An enclave is a program running in an isolated, encrypted memory environment within a TEE. It ensures that even if the system is compromised, the data within the enclave remains protected.

Explorer

A software that allows users to access details regarding blocks, addresses, and current and past transactions.

GToken

Gtoken is a non-fungible utility token used within the Ternoa network, not mineable or tradable with other fungible tokens. Ternoa has developed GToken to improve gameplay and security in the video gaming industry.

Governance

Governance in blockchain refers to the management and rules users must follow when participating in the system. On-chain governance is the process of blockchain governance that takes place on the blockchain. Ternoa's on-chain governance involves token holders and a council of 8 members who propose referenda for all holders to vote on. Referenda are proposals associated with a privileged function call in the runtime and have a fixed period for voting. Anyone can propose a referendum by depositing the minimum amount of tokens for a certain period, and the proposal with the highest amount of bonded support will be selected for the next voting cycle. (read more section)

Indexer

The Ternoa Indexer is a tool used in the Ternoa blockchain network to index and store data related to the network's activities. It collects and stores data from various sources in the Ternoa network, such as transactions, smart contracts, and tokens, and makes this data available to other applications and services within the network.

Layer-0

Layer-0 blockchain is the underlying infrastructure that provides the architecture for projects to build.

Layer-1

Ternoa is a layer-1 blockchain A layer-1 blockchain is the foundation of the blockchain architecture, which validates and executes transactions without support from another network.

Mainnet

The primary Ternoa network, where actual-value transactions occur with native CAPS to pay transaction fees and for staking. Mainnet is the final production network for blockchain projects and accessible to users, validators, and stakers.

Marketplace

NFTs serve as proof of ownership on the blockchain, and marketplaces are used to sell and buy NFTs. Users can create their own marketplaces, defining rules such as listing cost and commission fees. Marketplaces provide a medium for exchanging NFTs and allow users to define prices for their digital assets, such as art, gaming items, tickets, and more.

Minting

Minting on Ternoa is the process of creating a unique digital asset with specific attributes and properties, which are stored on the Ternoa blockchain. This allows creators to establish ownership of their digital creations and sell them as unique items on the Ternoa platform. NFTs can be traded or transferred to other users on the Ternoa network.

NFT

NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain.

Nominated Proof of Stake (NPoS)

A method used to validate transactions and keep the database secure. With proof of stake, a validator is nominated and chosen to validate a transaction.

Nominators

Nominators are CAPS holders who contribute to the security of the network by nominating validators to participate in the consensus of the protocol.

Open Source Clusters

Open source clusters are groups of enclaves that work together to provide a more robust, resilient and decentralized network. Clusters enable direct, secure communication between enclaves for real-time data sync, enabling data to be synced up securely across clusters without human/operator intervention.

Pallets

A Substrate module that provides all functionalities of a feature such as creating NFT, or governance votes. All pallets are modular and can be stacked to create more complex logic.

Renting

NFT Renting allows individuals to rent NFTs they would like to borrow. A borrower can rent an NFT and gain access to exclusive content or experiences. At the same time, an NFT owner can rent their NFT to share its utility and earn passive income.

Royalties

NFT royalties, which give the original NFT creator an option to receive an automatic percentage of the sale price each time their NFT creation is resold, are uniquely implemented on Ternoa. As users mint an NFT on Ternoa, they can specify their desired royalties, ensuring that every subsequent resale remits the stipulated percentage back to them.

SDK

Software developer kit (SDK) is a set of tools Ternoa provides developers to build on the Ternoa chain.

Secret NFT

Secret NFTs are a type of NFT that ensures privacy. The secret data is stored using the IPFS protocol and encrypted using PGP keys. The PGP key is split into shares using an algorithm and stored in a secure enclave where only the owner can access them. To view the secret, the NFT owner requests the shares from each enclave, and once the ownership is verified, the PGP key is reconstructed to decrypt the secret media.

Secret Nodes

Secret nodes are specialized parts of the Ternoa ecosystem that function inside a secure, isolated environment known as Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). Think of these nodes as highly secured rooms designed to withstand malicious attacks. Even if the rest of the system is compromised, the data within these nodes remains untouched and secure. They operate on SGX (Intel Software Guard Extensions) machines, specialized hardware providing an extra layer of protection.

Seed Phrase

A seed phrase is a group of random words generated by the Ternoa wallet, which can be used if a user forgets their password.

Shamir Secret Sharing

Shamir's Secret Sharing is a cryptographic method that divides a secret into multiple parts, such that a specified number of those parts are required to reconstruct the original secret. On Ternoa, it is used to enhance the security of secret NFT owners' encryption keys by splitting them and distributing across various SGX machines

SoulBound Token

SoulBound Tokens (SBTs), which are a particular type of NFT, but they differ in one major way: they are designed to be transferred only once. SBTs could represent credentials and are linked to ‘souls’, a type of address that establishes a source.

Staking

Staking on Ternoa is a validation tool that involves committing your CAPS to maintain the network and confirm transactions.

Substrate

Substrate is a Rust-based blockchain development framework created by Parity Technologies, the company behind Polkadot. The Substrate framework was designed to help developers launch a blockchain project in a streamlined and customizable way.

TEE

Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) is a secure hardware environment that isolates code execution from the main operating system, ensuring that code is executed securely and without interference.

Ternoa Protocol

Ternoa Protocol utilizes Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to store secret keys on both the Ternoa and Computing protocols, ensuring that only the enclave can claim ownership of the keys at any given point in time. This guarantees that no individual or entity, including a central one, can access the NFT Encryption Key apart from the current owner.

Transmission Protocols

Transmission Protocols are rules and standards that govern how data is transmitted over the Ternoa network. These protocols define the format of the data, how it is packaged, and how it is transmitted from one user to another. These protocols allow users to customize their data permissions and how it is sent to other users.

Validators

Validators provide the infrastructure and maintenance for the Ternoa network. A validator is a virtual entity that lives on the Ternoa Chain and participates in the consensus of the protocol. Learn how to become a validator here.

Wallet

The Ternoa Wallet allows you to view your CAPS balance in real time, receive or send CAPS to another Ternoa wallet, create and send NFTs, and view dApps. You can download here.

Wallet Address

String of characters that is generated when a Ternoa wallet is created. This address is used to receive assets in your wallet.