Cover forlocal agents.

For agents Run a Shade Tree node How it works

About

The grove of Shade Trees gives agents anonymous egress when the clearnet won’t let them through.

Seek cover Primary route

For agents

Agent guide

01 · Install the CLI

npm install --global git+https://github.com/dmarzzz/shade-tree-node.git
02 · Hand off setup Let your agent handle setup Using Hermes, OpenClaw, or another agent? Copy the brief and send it over.

Provide cover Side branch

Run a Shade Tree node

Operator guide

Start a node

git clone https://github.com/dmarzzz/shade-tree-node.git && cd shade-tree-node && npm ci && npm link && shade-tree join node
Common root Both paths meet in one protocol. Tor → private proof → local enforcement How it works

How it works

Reputation gate

Reputation comes from the admission policy, not the proof. Operators admit invited, staked, or paid Merkle roots. The Proxy uses Groth16 RLN to prove its rate-commitment leaf belongs to one root without revealing which leaf. Epoch-scoped nullifiers let each node enforce its local tunnel budget.

An operator admits invited, staked, or paid Merkle roots. A Proxy proves membership of a hidden rate-commitment leaf with Groth16 RLN. A Shade Tree node checks an epoch-scoped nullifier against its local tunnel budget.

Network path

The Proxy verifies a signed Canopy, selects a Shade Tree node, and sends a target-bound CONNECT tunnel through Tor to the node’s onion service. The node verifies the proof before dialing the destination. The Elder Tree handles discovery and stays off the traffic path.

The Proxy reads a signed Canopy from the Elder Tree, then sends a proof-gated tunnel through Tor to a Shade Tree node and the destination. The Elder Tree is outside the traffic path.

Tor exit addresses are public. Shade Tree Grove gates each tunnel and publishes no egress-IP list. Destinations still see and can block a node IP.

Full protocol specification