Your first steps into the 256-bit coordinate system
Getting Started with Cyberspace
Welcome to Cyberspace. This guide will help you understand the basics and take your first steps into the 256-bit coordinate system. No prior knowledge of cryptography or distributed systems required.
What You Need
Prerequisites
- ▸ A Nostr keypair - This is your identity in Cyberspace. Your public key determines where you spawn.
- ▸ The cyberspace-cli - Python reference implementation for computing movement proofs
- ▸ Access to Nostr relays - Where movement events are published and verified
Key Concept: Identity Is Location
In Cyberspace, your cryptographic identity is your location. Your Nostr public key (a 256-bit number) is interpreted as a coordinate using the protocol's interleaving scheme. When you first enter Cyberspace, you appear at the coordinate encoded by your identity. This is not metaphorical—it is a direct mathematical mapping.
Your First Steps
Understand the Coordinate System
Cyberspace uses a 256-bit coordinate system with three spatial axes (X, Y, Z) and a plane bit (0 for dataspace, 1 for ideaspace). Each axis is 85 bits, and they are interleaved at the bit level.
Start with the Coordinate System documentation to learn about Gibsons, sectors, and the two planes (dataspace and ideaspace).
Learn How Movement Works
Moving between coordinates requires computing a Cantor pairing tree proof. The computational cost scales with the distance crossed—nearby coordinates are cheap to reach, distant ones are expensive.
Read Cantor Pairing and Proof-of-Work Mechanics to understand the mathematics.
Explore the Topography
Cyberspace has natural terrain: LCA boundaries create cost cliffs, sectors form geographic regions, and the temporal axis ensures every hop costs fresh work.
The Topography guide explains the landscape you'll be navigating.
Discover Hyperspace
For long-distance travel, use the Hyperspace network formed by Bitcoin block Merkle roots. Entry costs about 15 minutes and $0.09; traversal is nearly instant.
Learn about Hyperspace and Hyperjumps for efficient long-distance travel.
Recommended Learning Path
1. Coordinate System
The 256-bit interleaved structure, X/Y/Z axes, plane bit, Gibsons, and sectors.
2. Cantor Pairing
The mathematical foundation of traversal proofs and tree construction.
3. Topography
LCA boundaries, temporal work axis, and sector structure.
4. Proof-of-Work
Hop, sidestep, and hyperspace traversal proofs.
5. Sidestep
Merkle proof mechanism for crossing infeasible LCA boundaries.
6. Hyperspace
Bitcoin-backed teleport network for long-distance traversal.
Technical Resources
Protocol Specification
The canonical CYBERSPACE_V2.md specification defines the coordinate system, movement primitives, and Nostr integration.
Read CYBERSPACE_V2.md →Reference Implementation
The cyberspace-cli is the Python reference implementation for computing movement proofs and interacting with the protocol.
View cyberspace-cli on GitHub →DECKs (Protocol Extensions)
Design Extensions and Compatibility Kits define optional extensions like Hyperspace traversal.
Browse DECKs on GitHub →Common Questions
How do I actually start moving?
First, install the cyberspace-cli and generate a Nostr keypair (or use an existing one). Your spawn coordinate is determined by your public key. Publish a spawn event (kind 3333, A=spawn) to declare your presence, then compute hop proofs to move to nearby coordinates.
How much does movement cost?
Within a sector (low LCA height), movement costs milliseconds to seconds on consumer hardware. Crossing sector boundaries requires either sidestepping (hours to days) or using Hyperspace (entry takes ~15 minutes and ~$0.09, traversal is nearly instant).
Can I choose where I spawn?
No—your spawn coordinate is determined by your public key. If you want a different spawn point, you need a different identity (keypair). This is a core property of the protocol: identity and location are mathematically inseparable.
Is this like Bitcoin mining?
Similar but different. Bitcoin uses arbitrary hash grinding—finding a nonce that produces a hash below a target. Cyberspace uses structured work—computing the Cantor tree that mathematically connects two coordinates. The proof is not "I burned energy" but "I computed the fabric between these points."
Ready to Dive Deeper?
Now that you have the basics, explore the mathematical foundations and technical details that make Cyberspace possible.