Knots
Knots are the fundamental unit of money in String Theory. They are immutable, meaning once created they cannot be changed. This is a powerful property that makes them perfect for tracking money in a system. Knots are created when money is deposited into the system, and they are destroyed when money is withdrawn.
Knot structure
Section titled “Knot structure”A knot is made up of three fields:
- unit type : The type of money (e.g. USD, EUR, points)
- unit token : The specific token of that type (e.g. USD, EUR, points)
- unit count : The amount of money in the smallest unit (e.g. cents for USD)
For example, a knot representing $10.00 USD would have:
- unit type: “USD”
- unit token: “USD”
- unit count: 1000 (cents)
Knot operations
Section titled “Knot operations”Knots can be combined and split, but they cannot be changed. This means that if you have a knot representing $10.00 USD, you cannot change it to $20.00 USD. Instead, you would need to create a new knot for $20.00 USD.
Combining knots
Section titled “Combining knots”Knots can be combined if they have the same unit type and unit token. For example, if you have two knots representing $10.00 USD and $20.00 USD, you can combine them into a single knot representing $30.00 USD.
Splitting knots
Section titled “Splitting knots”Knots can be split into smaller knots. For example, if you have a knot representing $30.00 USD, you can split it into three knots representing $10.00 USD each.
Knot groups
Section titled “Knot groups”Knots can be grouped together to form a collection of knots. This is useful for tracking money that belongs to a specific entity (e.g. a user, a business, a project). Knot groups can be used to:
- Track the total amount of money in a group
- Transfer money between groups
- Withdraw money from a group
Knot threads
Section titled “Knot threads”Knot threads are similar to knot groups, but they are used to track money that is being moved through a system. For example, if you are processing a payment, you might create a knot thread to track the money as it moves from the customer to your business.
Knot operations
Section titled “Knot operations”Knots can be used in a variety of operations:
- Deposits: Create new knots when money is deposited
- Withdrawals: Destroy knots when money is withdrawn
- Transfers: Move knots between groups
- Exchanges: Convert knots from one unit type to another
Knot immutability
Section titled “Knot immutability”The immutability of knots is a key feature of String Theory. It ensures that:
- Money cannot be created or destroyed without a clear audit trail
- All operations on money are traceable
- The system is secure and reliable
Questions?
Section titled “Questions?”If you have any questions about knots or how to use them in your system, the String Theory team is always available to help.