# IPFS jargon: the double meaning of "node"

**URL:** <https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/ipfs-jargon-the-double-meaning-of-node/5534>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [May 29, 2019, 7:31am UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/ipfs-jargon-the-double-meaning-of-node/5534 "2019-05-29T07:31:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![khinsen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.ipfs.tech/khinsen/32/2681_2.png) [@khinsen](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/u/khinsen)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 7:31am UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/ipfs-jargon-the-double-meaning-of-node/5534/1 "2019-05-29T07:31:11Z")

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Yesterday I tried to explain my IPFS experiments to a colleague, who was quickly confused by the double use of “node” for (1) a computer in the network and (2) a piece of data in the DAG. Is there accepted concise jargon for unambiguously referring to one or the other?

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**Author:** ![koalalorenzo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.ipfs.tech/koalalorenzo/32/745_2.png) [@koalalorenzo](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/u/koalalorenzo)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 7:57am UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/ipfs-jargon-the-double-meaning-of-node/5534/2 "2019-05-29T07:57:18Z")

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not sure, but what about `peer` when referring to network nodes?

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**Author:** ![Mr0grog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.ipfs.tech/mr0grog/32/2460_2.png) [@Mr0grog](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/u/Mr0grog)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 3:22am UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/ipfs-jargon-the-double-meaning-of-node/5534/3 "2019-05-30T03:22:27Z")

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This one is really tough! I ran into this problem a lot when I was attempting to help organize the IPFS docs a while back. We tried to start using “IPFS node” or “peer” when referring to an instance of IPFS running on a computer, and “IPLD node” or “DAG node” when referring to the piece of data (and avoid ever using just “node” by itself). I’m not sure it ever stuck very well, though.

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**Author:** ![Mr0grog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.ipfs.tech/mr0grog/32/2460_2.png) [@Mr0grog](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/u/Mr0grog)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/ipfs-jargon-the-double-meaning-of-node/5534/4 "2019-05-30T03:24:11Z")

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Here’s some of the results of a conversation we had about it at last year’s IPFS Developer Summit: [https://github.com/ipfs/docs/issues/92](https://github.com/ipfs/docs/issues/92)

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**Author:** ![khinsen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.ipfs.tech/khinsen/32/2681_2.png) [@khinsen](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/u/khinsen)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 10:33am UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/ipfs-jargon-the-double-meaning-of-node/5534/5 "2019-05-30T10:33:31Z")

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Thanks for the pointer! It’s kind of reassuring that the IPFS developers notice the confusion as well.