Editing Nomos/Requirements (section)

== 1. Introduction ==

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=== 1.1 Purpose ===

This Software Requirements Specification (SRS) document provides a detailed description of the Nomos blockchain network. It outlines the functional and non-functional requirements for a privacy-preserving multi-chain heterogeneous blockchain network designed to serve as infrastructure for Network States.

As such the sovereignty of the system is paramount, requiring privacy through all layers of a typical Blockchain network - network level privacy, validator &amp; consensus privacy, mempool privacy, transaction privacy, bridging/intent privacy, etc.

Consequentially, the network participants create a decentralised authority - a digital parliamentary sovereign, and become ‘Subject-Individuals’ who are bestowed Civil Liberties.

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=== 1.2 Document Conventions ===

This document uses the following conventions:
* MUST/REQUIRED - Indicates mandatory requirements for MVP
* SHOULD/RECOMMENDED - Indicates requirements for subsequent releases
* MAY/OPTIONAL - Indicates optional features

Terms in ''italics'' are defined in the glossary.

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=== 1.3 Intended Audience and Reading Suggestions ===

This document is intended for:
* Developers implementing the Nomos protocol
* Validators and node operators
* Network State builders and application developers
* Security auditors and researchers

Readers should start with Section 1 for an overview, then:
* Developers should focus on Sections 3 and 4
* Node operators should focus on Sections 2.4 and 5
* Application developers should focus on Sections 2.2 and 4.3
* Security auditors should focus on Sections 4.4 and 5.2

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=== 1.4 Product Scope ===

The Nomos module is a blockchain network designed to serve as foundational infrastructure for Network States. Its key objectives are:

* Enable privacy-preserving blockchain transactions and computations
* Support multiple sovereign execution environments (Zones)
* Provide censorship resistance through network-level privacy
* Ensure high network resilience through decentralization
* Enable trust-minimized communication between Zones
* Support light client verification

The system aims to overcome limitations of existing blockchain networks by providing comprehensive privacy at every layer:
* Network level: Private P2P communication through libp2p-mix
* Consensus level: Private Proof of Stake through Blend Network &amp; Cryptarchia
* Mempool level: Private transaction propagation
* Execution level: Privacy-preserving computation in Zones
* Cross-zone level: Private cross-zone communication (bridging and intent matching)
* Light client level: Private verification capabilities

This is achieved through:
* Modular architecture separating consensus, execution, and data availability
* Sovereign zones with flexible configurations
* Multiple specialized privacy systems working together

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=== 1.5 References ===

* Nomos Darkpaper v0.6
* Nomos Blend Network Documentation
* Cryptarchia Protocol Specification
* Native Zones Documentation
* IEEE 830-1998 Recommended Practice for Software Requirements Specifications

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