# System Overview

#### Architecture in One Page

SolMail is structured into four composable layers, each independently upgradable yet cryptographically bound on Solana:

* Identity Layer — Unified naming and ownership. Users can send/receive using wallet addresses, Solana Name Service (.sol), .mail domains (alice.mail), or familiar email-style handles (<alice@sol.mail>). Usernames are NFTs, tradable and transferable, secured on-chain.
* Messaging Layer — Wallet-native inbox with end-to-end encryption (ElGamal), client-side encrypted attachments via decentralized storage (e.g., Irys), and immutable audit trails. Messages double as programmable objects that can carry tokens, NFTs, invoices, or contracts.
* Economic Layer — $MAIL token powers premium features, spam deterrence (burn-to-send economics), and marketplace dynamics on mail.fun (identity auctions, newsletters, creator subscriptions). Integrated Solana Pay ensures low-fee, instant settlement for invoices and commerce.
* Governance Layer — MailDAO governs protocol upgrades, treasury allocation, spam-prevention economics, and ecosystem integrations. Governance is transparent, on-chain, and community-led.

<figure><img src="https://2152941121-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYW47dyWBcpoC1VKQqOt3%2Fuploads%2FNKkv0jy8VLyqO3SlhH7K%2Fsolmail_architecture_onepage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1ee57eac-fdb8-4373-a391-8959d1ee7da9" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### User Model

* Universal Access: Every Solana wallet is a potential inbox — you can send a message to any wallet, even if the receiver has not yet created a mailbox.
* Optional Mailbox: Users can opt-in to claim a SolMail identity (<name@sol.mail>) or .mail domain, but this is not required to receive communication.
* Pseudonymous or Verified: SolMail supports dual modes of identity. Users may remain pseudonymous, or cryptographically bind their handle to real-world credentials. The choice is deliberate, user-controlled, and privacy-maximalist.

#### 3.3 Interoperability (Interop)

* .mail Domains: Fully on-chain NFT domains (e.g., alice.mail, org.mail). Function as independent namespaces, tradable and ownable assets.
* <name@sol.mail> Handles: Familiar, email-style usernames linked to SolMail accounts. Usable with or without a .mail domain.
* mail.fun Marketplace: Hub for identity trading, creator subscriptions, newsletters, and merchant verification. Bids, auctions, and identity monetization happen here.
* Optional Linkage: Users may link alice.mail → <alice@sol.mail> for convenience and routing, but both remain sovereign identifiers.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.solmail.so/system-overview.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.