GuardianDB 0.14.0 codename ‘Ironclad’ is available!
A High-performance, local-first decentralized database built on Rust and Iroh
Architecture and Technology
The architecture of GuardianDB is fully decentralized and built with modern technologies, leveraging the strengths of the Rust programming language:
Security & Zero-Copy Performance
Written in pure Rust, GuardianDB ensures memory safety without a garbage collector. The “Ironclad” version takes performance further by replacing JSON with Postcard (zero-copy binary serialization) and BLAKE3 hashing. This results in a smaller storage footprint and lightning-fast processing, optimized for mobile and edge devices.
Native Iroh Stack
We have completely removed the legacy IPFS/libp2p stack. GuardianDB is now powered by Iroh, a next-generation P2P protocol. There are no external daemons or sidecars (like Kubo in Golang). The database runs entirely embedded within your application, communicating via encrypted QUIC tunnels.
Magicsock & Global Roaming
We utilize Magicsock to handle networking. It automatically performs NAT traversal (hole punching) and maintains persistent connections even when devices switch networks (e.g., from Wi-Fi to 5G). All traffic (Sync, Gossip, Blobs) is multiplexed over a single, secure UDP socket.
Reactive Async Core
Built on Tokio, our reactive event bus bridges the gap between P2P signals and your application state. It seamlessly integrates Iroh-Gossip (Epidemic Broadcast Trees) to trigger real-time updates in your UI the moment data is received from the network.
Willow Sync Protocol
Data synchronization is handled by the Willow Protocol, which uses 3-dimensional range-based set reconciliation. Instead of exchanging full logs, peers instantly identify and transfer only the missing bytes. This is paired with our custom Binary Event Log for strict causal ordering of messages.
Hybrid Storage & Capability Security
GuardianDB employs a dual-engine architecture. We utilize Iroh-Blobs for decentralized, content-addressed data storage, while retaining Sled as a high-performance embedded index for instantaneous metadata lookups and caching. Access control is strictly enforced via Capability Tickets (Ed25519-signed tokens), granting fine-grained permissions without centralized authorities.
Main Features
GuardianDB offers different types of “stores” (databases), each suited for a specific use case:
Document Store
Powered by Iroh-Docs. A resilient, local-first document store that automatically syncs state between peers using the Willow Protocol. Instead of just storing static JSON, it treats documents as mutable, 3-dimensional data points (Author, Entry, Namespace), handling conflict resolution seamlessly via Range-Based Reconciliation. Ideal for collaborative tools and decentralized apps.
⚠️ Migration to Iroh-Docs in progress. Currently uses CRDT logic on top of Iroh-Blobs
Event Log Store
The “Ironclad” Append-Only Log. An immutable, cryptographically secure log optimized for causal ordering. We rebuilt this engine to run on Iroh-Blobs using Postcard (binary serialization) and BLAKE3 hashes. It creates a lightweight DAG perfect for chat histories, audit trails, and activity feeds, reducing storage overhead by up to 60% compared to legacy JSON logs.
Key-Value Store
High-Performance Distributed Map. A fast, eventual-consistency key-value store backed by Iroh-Docs. It utilizes Last-Write-Wins (LWW) logic to propagate updates across the mesh instantly. Perfect for managing user profiles, application settings, and shared configuration state that needs to survive offline periods and sync automatically upon reconnection.
⚠️ Migration to Iroh-Docs in progress. Currently uses CRDT logic on top of Iroh-Blobs
“Guardian DB is evolving quickly. The idea is simple: to be a distributed system that is more logical, cohesive, polished, and robust.”
William Maslonek
Software Engineer
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