Pillar

Pillar is a zero-trust decentralized ledger that implements a Proof of Reputation (PoR) trust layer. It combines a conventional transaction layer with a reputation-driven incentive layer to reduce wasted computation and provide a trust metric for network participants.

Repository Layout

• pillar/ – Entrypoint for managing a Pillar node.
• libs/pillar_core/ – Core protocol logic and data structures.
• libs/pillar_crypto/ – Cryptographic primitives, including hashing, signing, encryption, and Merkle structures.
• libs/pillar_serialize/ – Lightweight serialization utilities.
• pillar_monitor/ – A web-based frontend for monitoring a node.
• vm_mesh/ – A framework for distributed testing and simulation using QEMU.

High-Level Architecture

The network data flow, chain structure, and block settlement process are illustrated in the following diagrams:

• Network Flow
• Chain Structure
• Settle Chart

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Docker
• Rust toolchain
• Node.js and npm

Running a Node

The recommended method for running a Pillar node is via Docker.

1. Build the Docker image:

   ./build.sh

2. Run the node:

   # All arguments are optional. A new wallet and random name will be generated if not provided.
   # The node will listen on the next available ip on the docker subnet by default.
   ./run.sh --work-dir=<WORK_DIR> --ip-address=<IP_ADDRESS> --wkps=<WKP_SERVERS> --name=<NODE_NAME> --config=<CONFIG_FILE>

A convenience script, ./kill_all.sh, is provided to stop all running Pillar containers.

Testing

To run the test suite for all crates, execute:

cargo test

Test logs are written to ./test_output/{timestamp}/output.log.

Frontend Dashboard

A web-based dashboard is available for monitoring a running node.

1. Launch a Pillar node using the instructions above.

2. Start the frontend application:

   cd pillar_monitor
   npm install
   npm run dev

The dashboard will be accessible in a web browser at the address provided by the development server.