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  3. Terminology

Terminology

Where can I learn more about the Internet Computer?

Understanding the Internet Computer How the Internet Computer Works - DFINITY's own Technical Library Announcing t...

What is age in terms of the Internet Computer?

A neuron's age is determined by the amount of time that passes before the neuron begins to dissolve. A higher age ...

What is chain key cryptography?

Chain Key cryptography allows the Internet Computer blockchain to finalize transactions that update canister smart...

What are canister smart contracts?

Canister smart contracts are computational units that include both program and state. A software canister is simil...

What is a Service Nervous System (SNS)?

A Service Nervous System, or SNS, enables a service to run under the control of a decentralized community, allowin...

What is a DAO and how do I participate?

What is a DAO? A DAO, or Decentralized Autonomous Organization, is essentially a system in which token holders can...

What is an HTTPS Outcall?

HTTPS outcalls allow canister smart contracts hosted on the Internet Computer to request a URL. Canister smart con...

What are cycles in terms of the Internet Computer?

Cycles act as the computational resource to execute actions on the Internet Computer blockchain. In general, all c...

What is a cycles wallet?

A cycles wallet is a canister smart contract that hold cycles. Users can have as many cycles wallets as they desir...

What is consensus in terms of the Internet Computer?

The Internet Computer blockchain uses a novel consensus protocol: the different machines, or replicas, must reach ...

What is dissolve delay?

The dissolve delay is a setting on your neuron that determines the minimum amount of time that you have to wait be...

What is follow relation?

You can configure your neuron to copy the votes of other neurons so that you do not have to vote manually on every...

What are ICP cycles?

You can use ICP cycles to pay for processing power, data storage, and network bandwidth that your canisters use. C...

What are ICP utility tokens?

The ICP utility token (formerly known as “DFN”) is the primary mechanism that allows the broader internet communi...

What are identities?

Since a principal is a text representation of a public key of an asymmetric cryptographic key pair, each principal...

What is maturity in terms of the Internet Computer?

Maturity is an attribute of a neuron; it is not a tradable asset. Neurons receive voting rewards in the form of ma...

What is Motoko

Motoko is a new software language being developed by the DFINITY Foundation, with an accompanying SDK, that is de...

What is a neuron?

Neurons allow users to “time-lock” their ICP utility tokens in order to be rewarded with voting power, which can b...

What is an open internet service?

An open internet service is a technology deployed to the Internet Computer blockchain that is “ownerless” — meanin...

What is a principal?

A principal is an identifier of a developer or canister on the Internet Computer blockchain. Most of the time, pri...

What is a subnet?

A subnet chainblock is a special kind of blockchain within the Internet Computer blockchain network that can seaml...

What is voting power?

Voting power represents how strong your neuron’s vote is and how much reward you get per vote. A proposal on the N...

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