Frequently Asked Questions

The following post contains a list of questions (and their answers) that we often receive. Still not finding what you're looking for? Reach out.

Who or what is Tlon?

Tlon was created in 2013 to support the vision of a network of personal servers (Urbit) where users own and control their computing. In 2021, it created the Urbit Foundation to steward the open source effort to strengthen the Urbit kernel. Since then, its mission has been to build beautiful software and bring the original vision of a user-owned internet to a broader audience. Today, Tlon builds Tlon Messenger, a simple messenger built on the Urbit stack. It also provides Urbit hosting, which is the easiest way to run a personal server and use Tlon Messenger.

What is a personal server?

A personal server is like iCloud, except the entire service belongs to you. While traditional servers are public computers on the internet that host content and apps, a personal server is a type of computer that you can boot, maintain, and access yourself. The "personal" part means you decide who has access and where your data lives.

What is a peer-to-peer network in this context?

A peer-to-peer network is one where all computers talk directly to each other. Each one is equal in capability and role. This is different from the client-server model, where clients send data through a central server. Most internet services today, like Google, Amazon, and Facebook, use the client-server model.

What is a node?

A node on the Urbit network is both a cryptographic identity and a personal server. Each node runs the Urbit operating system, called Arvo, and is booted with unique keys that define its identity on the network.

What does owning a node mean?

Each node’s identity is backed by cryptographic proof on Ethereum, similar to an NFT tied to a wallet. When you sign up for Tlon, we generate a master ticket from a spawning node and create a wallet that holds your identity. We custody the wallet for you, but it is yours. You can take full control and self-host your node anytime. The master ticket contains the keys your node uses to boot, which permanently tie the identity to it. Tlon retains limited access for maintenance, but every interaction is recorded and audited. You can exit hosting anytime. We shut down your node, zip it, and send you a download link. After unzipping, you can run it yourself with all your data and connections intact.

What is a master ticket?

A master ticket is a format for storing or recovering private cryptographic keys. It is optimized for Urbit assets, but works like any other wallet secret or private key solution.

What is the difference between a ship or username and a node?

Your Urbit username (also called identity, @p, or ship name) is like a unique address or phone number. It tells others where to send messages. The node is the actual device or computer that holds your apps and data. The username points to the node.

What does owning my data mean? Where is it?

Urbit apps store data on your node, not on a central server. Since you control your node, you own your data. If you're hosted by Tlon, your node lives in Tlon's infrastructure, but you still own everything on it.

What does hosting entail? What does it mean that Tlon hosts me?

Tlon runs your Urbit node for you. We make sure it stays healthy and online, perform software updates, and back up your data. If something goes wrong, we can restore your node and its data.

What are my options if I do not want Tlon to host me?

You can self-host. The easiest option is to use a Native Planet (https://www.nativeplanet.io/), a physical computer built for Urbit. You can also install the Urbit runtime on a computer or cloud server. See https://docs.urbit.org/get-on-urbit#boot-up-your-urbit for instructions. If you're starting fresh, you'll need an Urbit ID. If you're leaving Tlon hosting, you can use the export functionality we provide to boot your node yourself.

What is the difference between a group and a DM on Tlon Messenger?

DM stands for direct message. These go straight from your node to another user’s node with no middleman. They are always one-to-one.

Groups can include many people. One person’s node hosts the group, and all messages go through that node and are propagated from the host to each person in the group’s node. This ensures everyone sees the same message history and permissions. If the host goes offline, the group goes down with them.

Who owns the groups I am in? What does that mean?

The person who created the group owns it. Their node controls roles, channel creation, and updates. Other members’ nodes follow the owner’s lead for group changes.

What does “connecting” mean? Where am I connecting?

You are always connecting to your own Urbit node. If you have not opened the app in a while, it may take a moment to download missed messages. Your node is always on and receiving messages, but your app needs to catch up.

What happens when I message someone else? Where does the message go?

Your message first goes to your own node.

In group chats, it is saved locally and sent to the host, who distributes it amongst the group.
In DMs, it is sent directly to the recipient's node.

Each node stores its own copy. All data lives in the node's memory, which is always persistent.

Urbit cannot store large files directly in the current moment (we’re working on this). It uses S3-compatible cloud storage instead. If hosted by Tlon, your media goes to a Google Cloud bucket. If self-hosted, you need to configure your own bucket in Landscape.

Are conversations encrypted?

Yes, in transit. Messages between nodes and between the app and your node are encrypted. Stored messages on your node or device are not encrypted. If someone has access to your device, they can read them.

What is the difference between Tlon Messenger and other messengers?

Tlon Messenger runs on your own computer (your node). You interact only with your node, which communicates directly with others’ nodes.

Other messengers send your messages to recipients through a company-owned server and also store them there. Your Tlon Messenger messages reside on and are sent by your own server, which you control the keys to(1).

What are the differences between the types of channels?

Chats are for short, fast messages in a stream.
Notebooks are for long-form writing and threaded comments.
Collections are for browsing images and links.

All channels store the same kind of data but present it differently.

What does owning my username (planet) mean?

It means your identity is permanently yours. You can transfer it, but no one can take it. On Urbit, you prove ownership cryptographically, not through a third-party service. This lets you move freely and still prove who you are.

What does it mean to be decentralized?

It means there is no central authority. Each node is independent, owns its data, and talks directly to other nodes.

This feature is coming soon.

What happens if Tlon disappears?

You will not lose your apps or data. You can export your node and run it yourself.

Go to tlon.network/dashboard:

Download your master ticket
Click the export button to get your node archive

If Tlon were to suddenly disappear, you would lose your data unless you had exported it. In the future, we plan to offer live backups to protect against this.

What is the difference between Tlon and Urbit?

You may have seen us say that "Tlon is not Urbit". Well, what even is Urbit? Urbit is a new kind of operating system. A new kind of computer, if you will. Like Apple's MacOS or Microsoft's Windows. Those operating systems that you know first came into existence many years ago, before the internet was a big thing. Urbit aims to be (among other things) an operating system for the 21st century, in which the internet is widespread. (See also: "What is a personal server?" and "What is a peer-to-peer network?")

Tlon as a company builds Tlon Messenger. That's the app you interact with. Under the hood, that app is powered by Urbit! It runs on the Urbit node that has your username, and it's that node you interact with in day-to-day usage. (As opposed to interacting with the same centralized computer as everyone else, as is the case with Instagram, X etc.)

Tlon as a service company runs your Urbit for you. For most people, that's more convenient. But we also allow you to take your Urbit with you and become fully independent from Tlon. You won't get just your Messenger data, you will get a whole computer, with all the parts you need to run Messenger already assembled!

In short, Urbit is a computer. Tlon Messenger is an app for that computer. Tlon (hosting) helps you run that computer.

1. In a hosted context, these keys are custodied by Tlon, but you can extract them and your node from us at any time if you want to run Tlon Messenger yourself or move to another hosting provider.