# ION {% hint style="info" %} ION is an open, public, permissionless Layer 2 Decentralized Identifier network that runs atop the Bitcoin blockchain {% endhint %} ### Decentralized ION is a Layer 2 open, permissionless network based on the purely deterministic Sidetree protocol, which requires no special tokens, trusted validators, or additional consensus mechanisms; the linear progression of Bitcoin's timechain is all that's required for its operation. ### Scalable ION is designed for scale, supporting thousands of DID operations per second across the network. ION is based on a strongly eventually consistent architecture that enables embarrassingly parallel ingest, processing, and resolution of DID operations. ### Censorship & Tamper Evasive * ION DIDs can only be deactivated by their owners, protecting people from violations of digital rights. * ION includes registry capabilities to support decentralized package managers, app stores, etc. * ION enables DID owners to securely connect to each other through decentralized routing endpoints. --- # 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://ssi-did-directory.gitbook.io/open-directory-for-all/blockchains-and-projects/bitcoin/ion.md?ask= ``` 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.