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Catalyst Network

The Catalyst network is Decentraland's decentralized content delivery infrastructure. Multiple independent operators run Catalyst nodes that store and serve content.

Overview

The Catalyst network operates as a fully-meshed distributed system where nodes communicate directly with each other to synchronize content and maintain network health.

Catalyst Network Topology

Catalyst Components

Each Catalyst node consists of:

Content Server

Purpose: Asset storage and retrieval

Stores and serves:

  • Scene definitions

  • 3D models and textures

  • Audio files

  • Scripts

  • Avatars and wearables

API Reference: Catalyst API

Lambdas

Purpose: Serverless query functions

Provides queryable endpoints:

  • Entity searches

  • Profile queries

  • Content metadata

  • Deployment history

Lambdas run as separate services that query the Content Server's database.

Nginx

Purpose: Reverse proxy and load balancing

Routes requests to appropriate services:

  • Content Server for uploads

  • Lambdas for queries

  • Static asset serving

Content Deployment

Deployment Flow

Deployment Steps

  1. Compile: CLI bundles scene using build-ecs

  2. Sign: Creator signs deployment with wallet

  3. Upload: CLI uploads to any Catalyst node

  4. Validate: Catalyst validates signatures and content

  5. Store: Content saved to storage

  6. Propagate: Event published to deployment queue

  7. Process: Backend services process new content

Content Validation

Catalyst validates:

  • Digital signatures (ownership proof)

  • Content hashes (integrity)

  • Parcel permissions (land ownership)

  • File size limits

  • Content policy compliance

Deployments Pipeline

When content is deployed, multiple systems react:

Asset Processing

Triggered Services:

  • Asset Bundle Converter - Creates optimized bundles

  • Profile Images Producer - Generates avatar thumbnails

  • Badges Processor - Checks deployment achievements

Listening Services

Services that monitor deployments:

  • Worlds - For world deployments

  • Comms Gatekeeper - For world voice config

  • Atlas Server - For map updates

Content Replication

Catalyst nodes replicate content to ensure availability:

Replication Strategy

  • Active Syncing: Nodes actively sync new deployments

  • Pull-based: Nodes fetch missing content on-demand

  • Gossip Protocol: Deployment announcements propagate

Content Addressing

All content is content-addressed:

  • Files identified by IPFS CID (Content Identifier)

  • Immutable once deployed

  • Deduplication automatic

Archipelago Workers (Comms)

Communications infrastructure runs alongside Catalyst:

Components

WebSocket Connector

  • Maintains client connections

  • Protocol handling

  • Connection authentication

API Reference: Archipelago Workers API

Archipelago Core

  • Island formation - Groups nearby players

  • Peer limits - Enforces max peers per island (typically 100)

  • Position updates - Broadcasts player positions

  • Message routing - Routes chat and emotes

Stats Service

  • Active user counts per scene

  • Connection statistics

  • Performance metrics

Blockchain Integration

Subgraph Indexer

Catalyst uses a dedicated indexer:

The Indexer indexes:

  • Land ownership (LAND NFTs)

  • Wearable & Emotes collections

  • Name registrations

  • NFTs transfers

Next Steps

PreviousBackend ServicesNextInfrastructure

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