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Glossary

A collection of terms and their definitions

A

ACP (Access Control Policy)
A set of rules defining read, write, query, or update permissions for identities interacting with Shinzo data.
Related terms: SourceHub
Application Developer
A developer who builds applications that consume Shinzo data feeds, schemas, or APIs.
Related terms: Curator, View

B

Block Data
Raw blockchain data that includes blocks, transactions, logs, commonly sourced from networks such as Ethereum.
Related terms: Indexer, Indexing, Epoch

C

Collection
A schema-defined document type in defraDB. Collections enforce structure, validation rules, and constraints.
Related terms: defraDB, Schema Definition Language
Content Addressable Data
A storage model where data is addressed by a cryptographic hash of its content. Any modification produces a new hash, ensuring immutability and verifiability.
Related terms: Content Identifier, IPLD, Merkle DAG
Content Identifier (CID)
A hash-based identifier generated from content. Used across IPLD and hash-linked data structures.
Related terms: Content Addressable Data, IPLD
Curator
A developer or entity that creates structured data views, feeds, or SDL-described schemas within Shinzo.
Related terms: View, Schema Definition Language, ShinzoHub

D

defraDB
A NoSQL, document-oriented, edge-first database used by Shinzo to store encrypted or schema-defined data.
Related terms: Collection, GraphQL, View
DID Key (Digital Identity Key)
A cryptographic key pair representing a user's or device's identity in Shinzo. Used for signing, encrypting, and authenticating operations.
Related terms: Orbis, Host

E

Epoch
A standardized period of blockchain time determined by a fixed number of blocks. For example, on Ethereum an epoch equals 32 blocks.
Related terms: Block Data, Indexing

G

GraphQL
A query language and runtime used for retrieving structured data from defraDB, collections, and views within Shinzo.
Related terms: defraDB, Collection, View

H

Host
The local Shinzo client that manages identity, encrypted storage, data syncing, and communication with the network from a user's device.
Related terms: DID Key, Orbis, ShinzoHub

I

IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication)
A protocol enabling secure messaging between blockchains. Only relevant if Shinzo interacts with IBC-enabled chains.
Indexer
A client that reads blockchain data (blocks, transactions, logs), parses it, and writes normalized documents into defraDB.
Related terms: Indexing, defraDB, Block Data, Primitive Prefix
Indexing
The process of parsing blockchain data and storing structured, schema-compliant documents in defraDB.
Related terms: Indexer, defraDB, Block Data
IPLD (Interplanetary Linked Data)
A data model used by decentralized systems (e.g., IPFS) to create verifiable, linkable, content-addressed objects using Merkle DAGs.
Related terms: Merkle DAG, Content Identifier, Content Addressable Data

M

Merkle DAG
A Directed Acyclic Graph where nodes are linked by cryptographic hashes. Nodes may have multiple parents, enabling efficient linking and deduplication of data.
Related terms: Merkle Tree, IPLD, Content Addressable Data
Merkle Tree
A tree structure where each non-leaf node is the hash of its child nodes. Used to verify large datasets efficiently.
Related terms: Merkle DAG

O

Orbis
Shinzo's key-management component, responsible for generating, storing, and handling cryptographic keys used for identity, encryption, and signing.
Related terms: DID Key, Host
Outpost
The on-chain payment contract for purchasing or enabling access to data on a given blockchain network.
Related terms: Smart Contract, ShinzoHub

P

Primitive Prefix
A prefix used to namespace document data submitted by an indexer per chain or per network (e.g., eth_mainnet_block).
Related terms: Indexer

S

Schema Definition Language (SDL)
A formal language used to define document schemas, data types, constraints, relationships, and validation rules inside Shinzo.
Related terms: Collection, View, defraDB
ShinzoHub
The central coordination service that handles data routing, availability, and payment settlement between Hosts, Curators, and blockchain Outposts.
Related terms: Host, Curator, Outpost
Smart Contract
Deterministic code deployed on a blockchain. Given the same input, execution always produces the same verifiable output.
Related terms: Outpost
SourceHub
Shinzo's authorization layer, enforcing role-based access control and ensuring permissions and policies are applied consistently across the network.
Related terms: ACP, Host
Stream ID
A unique identifier for a curated data feed or stream.
Related terms: Curator, View

V

View
A curated representation of defraDB documents defined using SDL. Views transform raw data into structured outputs.
Related terms: defraDB, Schema Definition Language, Curator

Total terms: 27