Implementation Guide

This guide summarizes the minimum steps to build a compatibility-oriented LOOP lab node. For normative requirements, follow SPECIFICATION.md.

Minimum viable node

• HTTPS server with TLS 1.3+ and valid certificates.
• JSON-LD parsing and schema validation for all inbound payloads.
• Material registry storage and query capability.
• LoopCost calculator using the defined formula.
• Federation client for announce/offer flows.

Core services

• Material registry: Create, read, search, and expire MaterialDNA records.
• Signal governance: Publish LoopSignalConfig and record LoopVote results.
• LoopCoin engine: Track balances, transfers, and inter-node settlement.
• Transaction processor: Create MaterialTransaction and Settlement records.

Data storage

• Index by category, location, and availability for fast search.
• Store immutable audit trails for registrations and settlements.
• Archive expired materials to cold storage.

Federation

• Maintain a NodeRegistry cache with health checks.
• Enforce request signatures, timestamps, and rate limits.
• Limit propagation (TTL and geographic radius) to avoid flooding.

Validation and testing

• Validate all payloads against the JSON schemas in schemas/.
• Test LoopCost calculations and settlement distribution.
• Include integration tests for federated message exchange.

Deployment checklist

• TLS certificates installed and renewed.
• Monitoring and alerting configured.
• Backups encrypted and restore-tested.
• Incident response plan in place.