> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.kayaknet.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.kayaknet.io/architecture/persistence.md). # Data Persistence KayakNet persists all data locally to survive restarts and provide history. ## Data Directory Default location: `./data/` ``` data/ ├── identity.key # Node identity (Ed25519 keypair) ├── peers.json # Known peer addresses ├── config.json # Runtime configuration ├── dht/ │ └── records.json # DHT records ├── chat/ │ ├── rooms/ │ │ └── #general.json # Room messages │ └── dms/ │ └── .json # Direct messages ├── market/ │ ├── listings.json # All listings │ └── my_listings.json # Your listings ├── escrow/ │ ├── orders.json # Order records │ └── wallets.json # Crypto wallet data ├── names/ │ └── domains.json # .kyk registrations └── cache/ └── ... # Temporary cache ``` ## Identity Persistence ### identity.key ```json { "private_key": "", "public_key": "", "node_id": "", "created_at": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z" } ``` **Important:** * Back this up! * Losing it = new identity * Never share with anyone ## Chat Persistence ### Room Messages `data/chat/rooms/#general.json`: ```json { "room": "#general", "messages": [ { "id": "msg_abc123", "sender_id": "node_123...", "sender_name": "alice", "content": "Hello!", "timestamp": 1234567890, "signature": "..." } ], "last_sync": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z" } ``` ### Direct Messages `data/chat/dms/.json`: ```json { "peer_id": "node_456...", "peer_name": "bob", "messages": [ { "id": "dm_xyz789", "from_me": true, "content": "Private message", "timestamp": 1234567890, "read": true } ] } ``` ## Marketplace Persistence ### Listings `data/market/listings.json`: ```json { "listings": [ { "id": "listing_abc", "title": "Product", "price": 99.99, "seller_id": "node_123...", "created_at": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z", "synced_at": "2026-01-15T10:05:00Z" } ] } ``` ## Escrow Persistence ### Orders `data/escrow/orders.json`: ```json { "orders": [ { "id": "esc_123", "order_id": "ord_456", "listing_id": "listing_abc", "buyer_id": "node_buyer...", "seller_id": "node_seller...", "amount": 0.5, "currency": "XMR", "state": "funded", "payment_address": "...", "created_at": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z" } ] } ``` ## Domain Persistence ### Registered Domains `data/names/domains.json`: ```json { "domains": [ { "name": "mysite.kyk", "target": "node_id:abc123...", "owner": "", "registered_at": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z", "signature": "..." } ] } ``` ## Sync Mechanism ### On Startup 1. Load local data from files 2. Connect to network 3. Request updates from peers 4. Merge with local data 5. Save merged state ### During Runtime * Changes saved immediately * Background sync every 5 minutes * Conflict resolution by timestamp ### Conflict Resolution * Newer timestamp wins * For listings: Seller's version wins * For domains: First registration wins ## Backup & Recovery ### Creating Backup ```bash # Backup entire data directory tar -czf kayaknet-backup.tar.gz ./data/ # Or just identity cp data/identity.key identity-backup.key ``` ### Restoring Backup ```bash # Full restore tar -xzf kayaknet-backup.tar.gz # Identity only cp identity-backup.key data/identity.key ``` ### What to Backup | File | Priority | Notes | | ------------------------ | -------- | ------------------- | | identity.key | Critical | Cannot recover | | names/domains.json | High | Your domains | | escrow/orders.json | High | Transaction records | | chat/ | Medium | Message history | | market/my\_listings.json | Medium | Your listings | | peers.json | Low | Rebuilds quickly | ## Storage Limits ### Default Limits | Data Type | Limit | | ---------------------- | ------ | | Chat messages per room | 10,000 | | DM conversations | 1,000 | | Listings cache | 5,000 | | DHT records | 10,000 | ### Cleanup Old data is automatically cleaned: * Expired DHT records: Deleted on expiry * Old messages: Keep last N * Failed escrows: Archive after 30 days ## Custom Data Directory ```bash ./kayakd --data-dir /custom/path/data ``` Or environment variable: ```bash export KAYAKNET_DATA_DIR=/custom/path/data ``` ## Database Format Currently using JSON files for simplicity. Future plans: * SQLite for large datasets * LevelDB for DHT * Encrypted storage option --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.kayaknet.io/architecture/persistence.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. 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