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<p>The architecture of Dao OS is not that of a traditional, monolithic operating system. It is a decentralized, layered paradigm designed for sovereignty, resilience, and extensibility. To understand it, one must understand its three fundamental entities: the Meta Unit, the Avatar, and the Dao Implement.</p>
<h2id="1-the-meta-unit-the-portable-soul-code"><aclass="header"href="#1-the-meta-unit-the-portable-soul-code">1. The <code>Meta Unit</code>: The Portable Soul-Code</a></h2>
<p>The <code>Meta Unit</code> is the conceptual core of a user's digital existence, but it is not a running program by itself.</p>
<li><strong>Its Nature</strong>: The Meta Unit is a <strong>portable library or artifact</strong> (e.g., a <code>.wasm</code>, <code>.so</code>, or <code>.dll</code> file). It contains the user's complete, end-to-end encrypted "Second Brain" (all data), core service APIs (identity, P2P networking, AI infrastructure), and the logic for managing them.</li>
<li><strong>Its Role</strong>: It is the passive, unified, and single source of truth for the user's data and core capabilities. Like Java bytecode (<code>.class</code> files), it defines what is possible but does not execute on its own. It is the "precise machine" waiting to be activated.</li>
<h2id="2-the-avatar-the-runtime-environment"><aclass="header"href="#2-the-avatar-the-runtime-environment">2. The <code>Avatar</code>: The Runtime Environment</a></h2>
<p>An <code>Avatar</code> is the active entity that gives life to the <code>Meta Unit</code>.</p>
<li><strong>Its Nature</strong>: An Avatar is any <strong>executable program or process</strong> whose primary function is to load, host, and execute an instance of the <code>Meta Unit</code> library. It is the "power source" that activates the machine.</li>
<li><strong>Its Role</strong>: The Avatar acts as the crucial <strong>bridge</strong> between the abstract <code>Meta Unit</code> and the concrete host platform (iOS, Windows, a web browser, the command line). It provides the <code>Meta Unit</code> with access to system resources like CPU, memory, storage, and networking. In the Java analogy, the Avatar is the <strong>JVM (Java Virtual Machine)</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>The Dao Network</strong>: All of a user's running Avatars form a private P2P network, keeping their embedded <code>Meta Unit</code> instances constantly and seamlessly in sync.</li>
<h2id="3-dao-implements-道器-the-ecosystem-of-software"><aclass="header"href="#3-dao-implements-道器-the-ecosystem-of-software">3. <code>Dao Implements</code> (<code>道器</code>): The Ecosystem of Software</a></h2>
<p>"Dao Implement" is the universal term for any third-party software designed to integrate with the Dao OS ecosystem. They are the applications and services that users interact with. An Implement becomes an Avatar by integrating the <code>Meta Unit</code>.</p>
<p>An Implement is composed of different types of components based on its design.</p>
<li><strong><code>Facet Component</code> (<code>器</code>)</strong>: The part of a Dao Implement that has a <strong>user interface</strong>. It is the "control panel" for the <code>Meta Unit</code>, responsible for presenting information to and capturing input from the user.</li>
<li><strong><code>Core Component</code> (<code>核</code>)</strong>: The <strong>headless, backend logic</strong> part of a Dao Implement. It runs as a service, providing specific capabilities that can enhance the Meta Unit or be called by other Implements. It is an "add-on tool" for the machine.</li>
<p>Developers have complete freedom in how they structure their <code>Dao Implement</code>:</p>
<ul>
<li>They can create a <strong>standalone application</strong> that is itself an Avatar, bundling the Meta Unit library, a Core component (for logic), and a Facet component (for UI) into one executable.</li>
<li>They can create a <strong>distributed application</strong>, where a Facet Implement on one device communicates with a Core Implement on another.</li>
<li>They can create a pure <strong>Core Implement</strong> (an "extension") that just provides a new backend capability to the user's entire Dao.</li>
<li>They can also create a pure <strong>Facet Implement</strong> that has no custom backend logic (<code>Core Component</code>). This type of application's UI directly interacts with the built-in core services of the <code>Meta Unit</code> to create a simple utility.</li>
</ul>
<p>This architecture ensures that Dao OS is not just a platform, but a truly open, composable, and decentralized ecosystem.</p>
