ICP subsystems

ICP has multiple levels of subsystems and decentralization. Using the metaphor of a stack, they are (from top to bottom):

1. “Common Good” apps on the IC

• These are apps the community uses, often as public goods
• These are controlled by NNS DAO or individual DAOs (e.g. Internet Identity, NNS frontend dapp, SNS)
• Examples of such apps:
  • NNS dapp
    • Code repository: https://github.com/dfinity/nns-dapp
    • Canister: qoctq-giaaa-aaaaa-aaaea-cai
  • Internet identity
    • Code repository: https://github.com/dfinity/internet-identity
    • Canister: rdmx6-jaaaa-aaaaa-aaadq-cai

2. Protocol Governance

• ICP is controlled by the NNS DAO
• All changes to the protocol or the topology are directly driven by decisions of the DAO
• See Dashboard: Governance

3. Infrastructure Layer 

• Nodes are the physical layer of ICP (how & which nodes participate in the network)
• See Dashboard: Network