The Data Access Layer

Vana's Data Access Layer allows application builders to securely query and run compute jobs on decentralized datasets without ever accessing the raw data directly. The entire process runs within secure enclaves (TEEs), ensuring data privacy and creating a trustless environment for data collaboration.

How It Works: A High-Level Overview

The workflow for accessing data on Vana follows four main phases:

Discover & Define: First, you discover available datasets by Browse on-chain schemas ("Refiners"). Then, you define what you want to do with the data by choosing a "Compute Instruction"—a secure, containerized script that processes your query results.
Request Access: You request permission from the DataDAO to access specific data and run your chosen compute logic on it. This often involves an off-chain agreement on terms, which is then recorded on-chain.
Execute Job: Once approved, you submit your job. You prepay any fees in $VANA, register the job on-chain, and then trigger the execution via a secure API call that includes your SQL query.
Retrieve Output: The job runs in a secure enclave, processing the data and generating outputs (artifacts) like a CSV file, JSON data, or image. You can then monitor the job's status and download the final artifacts for use in your application.

Ready to build? Follow our step-by-step guide to run your first query.

Tutorial: Querying Data on Vana →

Developer Resources & Examples

Example Workflows: vana-com/vana-data-access-workflows
Data Access Demo: vana-com/data-access-demo