# Node (knot)

> Node joins your VPS, home PCs, and servers into one private network — files, hosting, background jobs, and a browser control panel.

Node is self-hosted infrastructure software. Each operator runs their own Main Node (control plane + panel). Device Nodes on other machines dial out and appear in the same private system.

## Product summary

- **Product name:** Node (UI and docs). Internal repo/binary names: `knot`, `knotd`, `knot-agent`, CLI `knot`.
- **Category:** Private infrastructure / personal cloud / homelab control plane.
- **What it does:** Connects machines you already own into one panel — browse files across computers, host sites, run jobs, sync folders, manage devices.
- **What it is not:** Not a public SaaS signup product on this domain; not native mobile/desktop store apps (web panel + agents only).

## Public pages on this site

- `/` — Marketing landing: what Node is, live node map, features (files, hosting, compute).
- `/login` — Sign in to the private control panel.
- `/app` — Authenticated dashboard (not for indexing; requires login).

## Install (Main Node — VPS or server with public URL)

```bash
bash <(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xa1onex/knot/main/scripts/install.sh)
```

Choose **Main Node**. You get a panel URL like `https://your-domain.example`.

## Install (Device Node — home PC, Mac, extra server)

Same installer; choose **Device Node** and paste panel URL + join token from **Computers** in the panel.

Windows:

```bat
curl.exe -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xa1onex/knot/main/scripts/install.ps1 -o %TEMP%\knot-install.ps1
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File %TEMP%\knot-install.ps1
```

## Architecture (short)

- **knotd** — Control plane on Main Node: API, auth, device registry, WebSocket hub.
- **knot-agent** — Daemon on each machine: storage, transfers, hosted apps, compute.
- **Web panel** — React SPA at `/` (marketing) and `/app` (dashboard).
- **CLI / MCP** — Optional `knot` CLI and `knot-mcp` for automation.

## Key capabilities

- Cross-device file browser and drag-and-drop transfers
- Folder sync between nodes
- Self-hosted websites/services on device nodes
- Background compute jobs
- API keys and audit log
- TLS, device Ed25519 identity, refresh tokens

## Documentation

- Repository: https://github.com/xa1onex/knot
- Install guide: https://github.com/xa1onex/knot/blob/main/docs/install.md
- Architecture: https://github.com/xa1onex/knot/blob/main/docs/architecture.md
- Files & sync: https://github.com/xa1onex/knot/blob/main/docs/files-sync.md
- Hosting: https://github.com/xa1onex/knot/blob/main/docs/hosting.md
- Client SDK: https://github.com/xa1onex/knot/blob/main/docs/client-sdk.md

## Languages

- Panel and landing support English and Russian (in-app toggle).

## Contact / source

- Open source: https://github.com/xa1onex/knot
- License: see repository