FAQ

What is a tessera?

A tessera is a self-contained time capsule of memories — photos, audio +recordings, video, and text — packaged in a format designed to survive +independently of any software, company, or infrastructure. The name comes from +the small tiles used in Roman mosaics: each piece is simple, but together they +form something that endures.

How does my data survive if my computer dies?

Your tessera is replicated across multiple nodes in the Tesseras peer-to-peer +network. It uses erasure coding (Reed-Solomon) to split your data into redundant +fragments. Even if several nodes go offline permanently, your tessera can be +reconstructed from the remaining fragments.

Is my data encrypted?

By default, no. Tesseras prioritizes availability over secrecy — the goal is +that your memories survive, even if the software to decrypt them doesn't. You +can mark individual memories as private (encrypted with AES-256-GCM) or sealed +(to be opened after a specific date), but public and circle-visibility memories +are stored unencrypted to maximize their chances of long-term survival.

Do I need to pay anything?

No. The network runs on mutual aid: you store fragments of other people's +tesseras, and they store yours. There are no tokens, no blockchain, no +subscription fees. The only cost is the storage space you contribute to the +network.

What platforms does it run on?

Tesseras runs on Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Windows, Android, and iOS. +There's also a browser-based viewer and support for low-power IoT devices +(ESP32) as passive storage nodes.

How is this different from IPFS, Filecoin, or Arweave?

Tesseras is designed specifically for personal memory preservation, not +general-purpose file storage. Key differences:

No cryptocurrency or tokens — incentives are based on bilateral +reciprocity, not financial markets
Self-describing format — each tessera includes instructions for decoding +itself in multiple languages, so it can be understood centuries from now +without any special software
Availability over secrecy — most data is stored unencrypted to maximize +long-term survival
Simplest possible media formats — JPEG, WAV, WebM, plain text — chosen for +durability, not features

What media formats are supported?

Photos: JPEG
Audio: WAV PCM
Video: WebM
Text: UTF-8 plain text

These formats were chosen for maximum longevity and widespread support.

Can I export my tessera?

Yes. A tessera is a standard directory of files. You can copy it to a USB drive, +burn it to optical media, or print the text portions. The format is designed to +be readable without any special software.

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