lotus/documentation/en/getting-started.md

# Lotus

Lotus is an implementation of the **Filecoin Distributed Storage Network**. You can run the Lotus software client to join the **Filecoin TestNet** (when it launches).

For more details about Filecoin, check out the [Filecoin Spec](https://github.com/filecoin-project/specs).

## What can I learn here?

- How to install Lotus on [Arch Linux](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+install-lotus-arch), [Ubuntu](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+install-lotus-ubuntu), or [MacOS](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+install-lotus-macos).
- Joining the [Lotus TestNet](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+join-testnet).
- [Storing](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+storing-data) or [retrieving](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+retrieving-data) data.
- Mining Filecoin using the **Lotus Storage Miner** in your [CLI](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+mining).

## What makes Lotus different?

Lotus is architected modularly to keep clean API boundaries while using the same process. Installing Lotus will include two separate programs:

- The **Lotus Node** 
- The **Lotus Storage Miner**

The **Lotus Storage Miner** is intended to be run on the machine that manages a single storage miner instance, and is meant to communicate with the **Lotus Node** via the websocket **JSON-RPC** API for all of the chain interaction needs.

This way, a mining operation may easily run a **Lotus Storage Miner** or many of them, connected to one or many **Lotus Node** instances.
documentation: light copy adjustments before major revision 2019-12-02 00:08:53 +00:00			`# Lotus`
documentation: removes old docs folder, adds new documentation folder with organized content 2019-12-01 08:21:20 +00:00
documentation: latest updates from feedback across team 2019-12-09 12:53:40 +00:00			`Lotus is an implementation of the Filecoin Distributed Storage Network. You can run the Lotus software client to join the Filecoin TestNet (when it launches).`
documentation: small copy updates 2019-12-04 15:39:41 +00:00
			`For more details about Filecoin, check out the [Filecoin Spec](https://github.com/filecoin-project/specs).`
documentation: removes old docs folder, adds new documentation folder with organized content 2019-12-01 08:21:20 +00:00
documentation: light copy adjustments before major revision 2019-12-02 00:08:53 +00:00			`## What can I learn here?`
documentation: removes old docs folder, adds new documentation folder with organized content 2019-12-01 08:21:20 +00:00
documentation: current state of public documentation from https://docs.lotu.sh 2019-12-06 15:26:03 +00:00			`- How to install Lotus on [Arch Linux](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+install-lotus-arch), [Ubuntu](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+install-lotus-ubuntu), or [MacOS](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+install-lotus-macos).`
documentation: testnet update 2019-12-11 15:38:04 +00:00			`- Joining the [Lotus TestNet](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+join-testnet).`
documentation: current state of public documentation from https://docs.lotu.sh 2019-12-06 15:26:03 +00:00			`- [Storing](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+storing-data) or [retrieving](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+retrieving-data) data.`
			`- Mining Filecoin using the Lotus Storage Miner in your [CLI](https://docs.lotu.sh/en+mining).`
documentation: removes old docs folder, adds new documentation folder with organized content 2019-12-01 08:21:20 +00:00
documentation: light copy adjustments before major revision 2019-12-02 00:08:53 +00:00			`## What makes Lotus different?`

documentation: latest updates from feedback across team 2019-12-09 12:53:40 +00:00			`Lotus is architected modularly to keep clean API boundaries while using the same process. Installing Lotus will include two separate programs:`
documentation: small copy updates 2019-12-04 15:39:41 +00:00
			`- The Lotus Node`
			`- The Lotus Storage Miner`
documentation: light copy adjustments before major revision 2019-12-02 00:08:53 +00:00
documentation: testnet update 2019-12-11 15:38:04 +00:00			`The Lotus Storage Miner is intended to be run on the machine that manages a single storage miner instance, and is meant to communicate with the Lotus Node via the websocket JSON-RPC API for all of the chain interaction needs.`
documentation: light copy adjustments before major revision 2019-12-02 00:08:53 +00:00
documentation: small copy updates 2019-12-04 15:39:41 +00:00			`This way, a mining operation may easily run a Lotus Storage Miner or many of them, connected to one or many Lotus Node instances.`