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# Algorand Specifications

The node’s _peer discovery_ is based on either:

- A `Phonebook`, for the Relay Network WSWS, with initial addresses of relay nodes from the Algorand service record (`SRV`),

- A `PeerStore`, for the Peer-to-Peer Network P2PP2P.

> Important  
> **EXAMPLE:**  
> For the Algorand MainNet `Phonebook` bootstrapping, the DNS is `mainnet.algorand.network`  
> and the service record is `algobootstrap`. The MainNet SRV can be queried with:  
>  
> ```shell  
> dig _algobootstrap._tcp.mainnet.algorand.network SRV  
> ```

Both tracks `addressData`, which contains:

- `retryAfter`, the time to wait before retrying to connect to the address,

- `recentConnectionTimes`, the log of connection times used to observe the maximum connections to the address in a given time window,

- `networkNames`, lists the networks to which the given address belongs,

- `role`, is the role that this address serves (`relay` or `archival`),

- `persistent`, set to `true` for peers whose record should not be removed from the peer container.

The `Phonebook` tracks rate-limiting info and the `addressData` for each address.

The `PeerStore` serves as a unified interface that combines functionality from both the standard `peerstore` and the `CertifiedAddrBook` components in `libp2p`.

The `peerstore` aggregates most essential peer management interfaces, including peer addition and removal, metadata, keys, and metrics. However, it only exposes the basic `addrBook` interface for address storage.

The `CertifiedAddrBook`, on the other hand, extends the capabilities of the `addrBook` by supporting self-certified peer records. The peer itself signs these records and includes a `TTL` (time-to-live), which defines how long the record is valid before expiring. This means a peer’s information may exist both in an uncertified (vanilla) and a certified form, with potentially different expiration semantics.

By merging these two, the `PeerStore` enables advanced peer address management, including the ability to store, retrieve, update, and delete certified peer entries, ensuring that signed peer records are handled with appropriate verification and lifecycle rules.