Sylan — Overview

Welcome! This is the home for the Sylan project — a decentralized API marketplace. If you’re new, this page gives you the big picture in plain language and points you to the right next steps.

What is Sylan?

Sylan is a marketplace where API providers list their data services, and developers/teams can pay per call or by subscription to use them. Payments happen with the SYL token. A lightweight network of independent nodes fetches the data and helps confirm results, so buyers get what they pay for and sellers get paid fairly.

Think of it as: App Store for APIs, but with crypto‑native payments and verification.

Why it matters

• Simple monetization for providers — list a price, publish a descriptor, and start earning.
• Trustable results for buyers — providers sign responses; multiple nodes check and report back.
• Clear, automatic settlement — funds go into escrow and are released based on results.
• Open participation — anyone can browse, integrate, or run a node.

How it works (at a glance)

1. Browse & choose an API on the marketplace.
2. Pay with SYL — either a one‑off call or a subscription.
3. Nodes fetch the data and return a result that the provider has signed.
4. The network reaches consensus on the result.
5. Escrow releases payment to the provider and node pool (or refunds you if it fails).

That’s the heart of Sylan: pay → verify → settle.

Who is Sylan for?

• Developers & teams who need reliable data from multiple providers.
• Data/API providers who want an easy way to list and get paid.
• Node operators who want to help the network verify results and earn rewards.

What you can do here

• Try it quickly — follow the Quickstart to make your first request.
• List your API — see the Provider docs for descriptors, pricing, and signing.
• Run a node — check the Node guide for setup, staking, and operations.
• Understand the design — read Concepts for short explanations and Architecture for the system view.

About the SYL token

SYL is used for payments, staking, and rewards in the Sylan ecosystem. You’ll see it when approving a call, purchasing a subscription, or withdrawing earnings.

Details live under Contracts → Sylan Token.

What Sylan is / isn’t

• Is: a neutral layer for API commerce with cryptographic verification and automatic payouts.
• Isn’t: a centralized broker or a place where raw data is stored on‑chain (only hashes and events go on‑chain).

Source‑available

Sylan’s code is source‑available: you can read it, test it, and contribute. Commercial use and monetized forks are restricted. See Community → Licenses for the current terms.

Next steps

• Quickstart: make a request end‑to‑end in minutes.
• Concepts: short reads on key ideas (lifecycle, consensus, pricing, security).
• Architecture: how components fit together.
• Contracts: smart‑contract references if you’re integrating directly.
• Deploy: testnet/mainnet checklists if you’re rolling out.

Happy building! If you get stuck, visit Community → FAQ or open a discussion in the repo.