docs_tfgrid4/docs_website/docs/how_it_works.md

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# How It Works

## What is the ThreeFold Grid?

The ThreeFold Grid is the only system in the world capable of delivering self-healing data, network and cloud at a planetary scale.

The ThreeFold Grid allows individuals, organizations, communities, countries, and network states to deploy their own sovereign Internet infrastructure. 

The ThreeFold Grid has been live and operational since 2017 and and is live in more than 60 countries with thousands of nodes online.

## Decentralized Architecture

The ThreeFold decentralized architecture has key features.

- There is no central control points
  - Governance is done via the ThreeFold decentralized autonomous organization (TFDAO)
- It removes dependency on traditional cloud providers
  - Anyone can offer resources on the grid
    - Farmers offer data, network and cloud capacity by hosting nodes on the grid
  - Anyone can use resources on the grid
    - The [ThreeFold Dashboard](https://dashboard.grid.tf) allows anyone to deploy one-click industry standard apps and workloads

## Technical Foundation

ThreeFold has built core technologies over the years.

- Blockchain-based resource allocation with the ThreeFold Chain (TFChain)
- Secure, transparent transaction mechanisms thanks to smart contracts
- Zero-OS: Custom lightweight operating system for nodes built on the Linux kernel
- Self-healing and automated resource management via bare metal ThreeFold nodes
- End-to-end encrypted network always using the shortest path
- Storage resistant to quantum computer attacks

## Concrete Flow - Protocols

- Farmers deploy nodes to the ThreeFold Grid providing data, network and cloud resources
- Resources are verified via the **Proof-of-Capacity** minting protocol and made available for workload deployments
- Users can rent data, network and cloud resources directly through the network via the **Proof-of-Utilization** payment protocol


## Unique Value Propositions

With a *planet and people-first* philosophy, ThreeFold proposes a new way forward.

1. **Privacy**: Direct control over personal data
2. **Global Accessibility**: Internet infrastructure for underserved regions
3. **Sustainability**: Reduced energy consumption compared to centralized data centers
4. **Economic Empowerment**: Reward mechanism for individuals providing grid resources
5. **Community-driven**: Changes and enhancements to the grid voted by the TFDAO

## Vision

The ThreeFold Grid aims to create a more sovereign, efficient, and evolutive Internet infrastructure that returns control to individual users and reduces reliance on centralized tech giants. 

> A thriving Internet is not only possible, it is being built right now.
>
> *ThreeFold is building Web4...*
> 
> Join the grid and build with us! There are many ways to contribute and interact on the grid. 
> More information will be shared at the launch of ThreeFold V4 on **12.12.24**.

Read our Litepaper in the next section to gain a broad vision of ThreeFold, its ethos and direction.