Concepts

This section explains the core concepts and architecture behind AO, helping you understand how the system works at a fundamental level.

System Architecture

AO is built on a few fundamental principles that form its foundation:

Two core types: Messages and Processes - the basic building blocks of the AO ecosystem
No shared state, only Holographic State - a unique approach to distributed computing
Decentralized Computer (Grid) - enabling truly distributed applications

Explore these foundational concepts to gain a deeper understanding of AO:

How it Works - An overview of AO's architecture and how the different parts interact
Processes - Learn about processes, the computational units in AO
Messages - Understand the messaging system that enables communication
Evaluation - Discover how code execution works in the AO environment
Units - Learn about the computational units that power the AO network

Use the sidebar to navigate between concept topics. Each document provides in-depth information about a specific aspect of AO.