--- title: "What is an Edge Node?" description: "An edge node is a device at the network edge that serves content and runs workloads close to users. Learn what edge nodes do and how to run one." url: https://edge.network/academy/what-is-an-edge-node/ --- # What is an Edge Node? [Back to Academy](https://edge.network/academy) Information 7 min read # What is an Edge Node? Edge nodes are the building blocks of distributed networks — the machines that put content and compute close to users. Here's what they do, and how Edge's node types fit together. ## The short answer An edge node is a computing device located at the edge of a network — close to end users — that serves content, processes data, or runs workloads locally instead of passing every request back to a distant central data centre. In a CDN, edge nodes cache and serve files from nearby; in edge computing more broadly, they run applications and process data near its source. On the Edge Network specifically, an edge node is a device connected to the network to contribute its spare capacity. Together, 994 nodes make up a [decentralised cloud](https://edge.network/academy/what-is-a-decentralised-cloud) that powers CDN, DNS, compute, and storage services. ## What edge nodes do in a network The job of an edge node is proximity. When a user requests a web page, an image, or an API response, the network routes that request to the nearest node rather than to a central server that might be thousands of kilometres away. If the node has the content cached, it responds immediately; if not, it fetches it once from the origin and caches it for everyone nearby. The same principle extends beyond caching. Edge nodes answer [DNS queries](https://edge.network/dns) from nearby resolvers, terminate TLS connections close to the user, absorb and filter attack traffic at the point it enters the network, and — increasingly — run compute workloads such as [machine learning inference](https://edge.network/academy/machine-learning-at-the-edge). Every one of these tasks benefits from shaving the physical distance between the user and the machine doing the work. ## The three node types in the Edge Network Edge organises its network into three roles, each with different responsibilities and hardware requirements. ### Host Processing and storage capacity Hosts provide the processing and storage capacity in the network. Designed for mixed device types with varying capability, they can run behind a home router with no special configuration. 15 Mbit/s+ bandwidth · quad-core 1.2 GHz+ CPU · 1 GB+ RAM · 50 GB+ disk ### Gateway Entry point and job routing Gateways are the entry point to the network, aggregating Host capacity. They manage job queues and route requests to the Hosts most likely to complete each task quickly, based on rolling performance scores. 250 Mbit/s+ bandwidth · 99% availability · quad-core 2.5 GHz+ CPU · 64 GB+ RAM · 1 TB+ SSD ### Stargate Network coordination and security Stargates are the masternodes of the network. They run the XE blockchain, provide the naming system that makes Gateway and Host resources addressable, monitor resources, and control device yields. 1 Gbit/s+ bandwidth · 99.9999% availability · 2x quad-core 2.8 GHz+ CPU · 128 GB+ RAM · 2 TB+ SSD ## How the node types work together A request entering the Edge Network arrives at a Gateway, which acts as the aggregate point for the Host capacity behind it. The Gateway maintains a rolling score for each Host and hands the job to the Host most likely to complete it quickly at that moment. Hosts do the heavy lifting — serving cached content, storing objects, running workloads — while Stargates sit above the whole system, running the XE blockchain, providing the naming system that makes resources addressable, and monitoring the network's health. Alongside community-run nodes, the Edge core team operates a network backbone — Stargates, Gateways, and Hosts housed with data centre partners around the world — to guarantee baseline capacity as the network grows. ## How to run an edge node Anyone with suitable hardware can contribute to the network. The most accessible entry point is a Host: the minimum specification is a quad-core CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 50 GB of disk, and a 15 Mbit/s connection, and it runs happily behind a home router. Gateways and Stargates demand progressively more bandwidth, hardware, and availability. Node operators stake XE and earn rewards for the capacity and reliability they provide — the economic engine described in [What is the Edge Token?](https://edge.network/academy/what-is-the-edge-token) If you'd rather not supply hardware yourself, nodes in the network backbone are made available for staking, with yields split between the staker and the network's development fund. Full setup instructions live in the [network nodes wiki](https://wiki.edge.network/contributing-to-the-network/network-nodes/), and you can watch the live network at [edge.network/network](https://edge.network/network). ## See the network in action Explore the live map of nodes powering Edge, or deploy your first resource on them. [Explore the Network](https://edge.network/network) [Start Free](https://edge.network/account) ## Related articles [What is an Edge Server? 6 min](https://edge.network/academy/what-is-an-edge-server) [What is the Edge Token? 6 min](https://edge.network/academy/what-is-the-edge-token) [What is a Decentralised Cloud? 8 min](https://edge.network/academy/what-is-a-decentralised-cloud) Coming soon ### Edge Accreditation Become a certified Edge practitioner. A structured programme covering the whole platform, with a verifiable certificate at the end. Sign up now for updates. [Learn more about accreditation](https://edge.network/accreditation)