# Fundamental Principles

There are a number of core ideas that have driven each stage of the design of Autonomi. These can be distilled into the following 20 fundamental principles. 

### Autonomi will:

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">1.</mark>  Allow anyone to use the Network without intervention</summary>

Browsing, accessing, downloading, and utilizing Autonomi will never require a third party.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">2.</mark>  <strong>Enable users to securely share information without intermediaries</strong></summary>

By design, Autonomi doesn't allow third parties to either read or store the information sent by a user without that user’s consent.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">3.</mark>  Allow the transfer of the Network currency to any user free of transaction costs</summary>

Transfers between users will not have any transaction fees. However should any associated data be stored to the Network, a [Data Payment](https://docs.autonomi.com/introduction/broken-reference) may still be required.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">4.</mark>  <strong>Enable users to anonymously create and share data worldwide</strong></summary>

The Network ensures that the user has the ability to send messages, posts, and data without the need to link it to any known identity on the Network.&#x20;

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">5.</mark>  <strong>Let anyone browse content anonymously and free of charge</strong></summary>

…and without the need to create an account

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">6.</mark>  <strong>Allow users to associate multiple identities with their account</strong></summary>

You can choose any combination of pseudonym, real persona, or composable, decentralized identity that suits their needs, goals and context of use.

Or utilize the Network without any identity at all, it's up to you.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">7.</mark> <strong>Let users utilize any of their identities to send and receive payments</strong></summary>

Each individual must be able to use any of their identities as a wallet address to send and receive Autonomi Network Tokens.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">8.</mark> <strong>Store data in perpetuity</strong></summary>

All data uploaded will be available to its owner for the lifetime of the Network. You'll pay once to upload, but downloads are always free.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">9.</mark> <strong>Never store passwords on the Network nor on machines used to access it</strong></summary>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">10.</mark>  <strong>Allow anyone to access the Network and leave no trace of their activity on the machine</strong></summary>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">11.</mark>  <strong>Obfuscate IP addresses as far as underlying technology allows</strong></summary>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">12.</mark>  <strong>Allow nodes to join at any time, with any payouts subject to the laws of supply and demand</strong></summary>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">13.</mark>  <strong>Increase operator rewards when it needs more resources</strong></summary>

(e.g. more nodes to increase storage capacity) and decrease rewards when resources are plentiful. This is the primary mechanism for balancing supply and demand.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">14.</mark>  <strong>Ensure unreliable or malicious nodes are incapable of performing meaningful actions</strong></summary>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">15.</mark>  <strong>Not have servers!</strong></summary>

Autonomi will never rely on servers (as the term is traditionally understood) as to do so introduces a third-party weakness that would undermine the entire Network.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">16.</mark>  <strong>Digitally sign all transactions</strong></summary>

To ensure that the transactions have been authorized in accordance with the rules of the Network.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">17.</mark> <strong>Ensure that client-to-client direct messages are free</strong></summary>

i.e. those not transmitted via other nodes in the Network.

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">18.</mark> <strong>Never use time as a network tool</strong></summary>

There can be no concept of time in a truly decentralized network, as this would require reaching out to centralized servers and services.&#x20;

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">19.</mark>  <strong>Only use encrypted services and encrypted traffic</strong></summary>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:red;">20.</mark> <strong>Allow real-time upgrades in a secure manner</strong></summary>

The Network will refuse upgrades that could break it. We expand on these fundamental principles in the chapters that follow. Combined they aim to give all users the freedom to safely store data on the Network, to share information with others securely, to publish data cheaply and easily and to communicate using secure channels and apps.

</details>