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37 changes: 30 additions & 7 deletions README.md
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# ZeroTier - Global Area Networking
<p align="center">
<img src="artwork/ZeroTierIcon512x512.png" alt="ZeroTier" width="120">
</p>

<h1 align="center">ZeroTier One</h1>

<p align="center"><em>Global Area Networking</em></p>

<p align="center">
<a href="https://github.com/zerotier/ZeroTierOne/actions/workflows/build.yml"><img src="https://github.com/zerotier/ZeroTierOne/actions/workflows/build.yml/badge.svg" alt="Build"></a>
<a href="https://github.com/zerotier/ZeroTierOne/actions/workflows/validate.yml"><img src="https://github.com/zerotier/ZeroTierOne/actions/workflows/validate.yml/badge.svg" alt="Validate"></a>
<a href="https://github.com/zerotier/ZeroTierOne/releases"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/zerotier/ZeroTierOne?label=release&color=1a3d8f" alt="Latest release"></a>
<a href="#license"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MPL--2.0%20%2B%20source--available-blue" alt="License"></a>
<a href="https://docs.zerotier.com"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/docs-docs.zerotier.com-1a3d8f" alt="Documentation"></a>
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/platforms-Linux%20%7C%20macOS%20%7C%20Windows%20%7C%20BSD%20%7C%20Android%20%7C%20iOS-lightgrey" alt="Platforms">
</p>

## Quick Links

Expand All @@ -8,24 +23,32 @@
* [Downloads](https://www.zerotier.com/download/)
* [Service API Reference](service/README.md)
* [Network Controller](nonfree/controller/README.md)
* [Commercial Support](https://www.zerotier.com/contact)
* [Commercial Support](https://docs.zerotier.com/support/)
* [License Information](#license)

## About

ZeroTier is a smart programmable Ethernet switch for planet Earth. It allows all networked devices, VMs, containers, and applications to communicate as if they all reside in the same physical data center or cloud region.
ZeroTier One is modern, identity-first software-defined networking for distributed infrastructure. It connects devices, servers, VMs, containers, and applications into one secure virtual network — no matter what sits between them — so they can communicate as if they all reside on the same physical LAN, without specialized hardware or complex VPN configuration.

### How It Works

Instead of relying on physical topology, every device joins a network using its own cryptographic identity. This is built on a secure peer-to-peer transport layer (VL1) combined with an Ethernet virtualization layer similar to VXLAN (VL2), which gives you fine-grained, capability-based access control rules for network micro-segmentation and security monitoring. Access policy is centrally defined and globally enforced, so networks stay resilient and zero-trust by default across public clouds, private data centers, on-prem environments, remote devices, and edge systems.

### Security

All ZeroTier traffic is authenticated and encrypted end-to-end using keys that only you control. Connections are established peer-to-peer whenever possible, with free (but slower) relaying available for devices that can't establish a direct path.

This is accomplished by combining a cryptographically addressed and secure peer-to-peer network (termed VL1) with an Ethernet emulation layer somewhat similar to VXLAN (termed VL2). Our VL2 Ethernet virtualization layer includes advanced enterprise SDN features like fine grained access control rules for network micro-segmentation and security monitoring.
## Platforms

All ZeroTier traffic is encrypted end-to-end using secret keys that only you control. Most traffic flows peer-to-peer, though we offer free (but slow) relaying for users who cannot establish peer-to-peer connections.
ZeroTier One runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD. Apps for Android and iOS are available for free in the Google Play and Apple App Store.

Apps for Android and iOS are available for free in the Google Play and Apple app stores.
## Building and Running

For repository layout, build instructions, platform requirements, and information about running ZeroTier, see [build.md](build.md).

## License

See [LICENSE-MPL.txt](LICENSE-MPL.txt) for all code in node/, osdep/. service/, and everywhere else except ext/ and nonfree/.
See [LICENSE-MPL.txt](LICENSE-MPL.txt) for all code in node/, osdep/, service/, and everywhere else except ext/ and nonfree/.

See [nonfree/LICENSE.md](nonfree/LICENSE.md) for all non-free ("source available") portions of this repository.

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