a particle given a ~ name — the moment content becomes findable. information that exists is a particle; a particle that can be found is a file
a file in cyber is a particle that has been assigned a ~ name by a neuron. the particle provides identity through its hash; the name provides discoverability through human-readable resolution.
files exist within a neuron's personal namespace. the path ~documents/notes resolves to a specific particle, making content navigable like a traditional file system while remaining content-addressed underneath.
the distinction between particle and file is fundamental. every file is a particle, but most particles are unnamed. a particle exists the moment data is hashed. a file exists the moment a neuron names that particle.
files can be reorganized without altering content. renaming moves the pointer; the underlying particle and its hash remain unchanged. this separates structure from substance.
multiple neurons can name the same particle differently. the same content may appear as ~research/paper in one namespace and ~archive/2026/study in another. the particle is shared; the names are personal.
the file layer gives cyber a familiar interface. neurons browse, search, and organize their knowledge graph through named paths while the protocol ensures every piece of content is permanently addressable by hash.
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