NODE
01
SDG Community BBS
A lightweight, self-hosted community platform built as the first working Nód Glas prototype, exploring digital sovereignty, sustainable computing and resilient local infrastructure.
From concept
to working node.
Node 01 is the first working prototype within the Nód Glas project. It explores how a small, independently operated web node could provide useful digital infrastructure to a community without relying entirely on large centralised platforms.
The current prototype takes the form of a community Bulletin Board System, providing a practical foundation on which additional services and functionality can be developed.
Node 01 is a functioning prototype, not a production-hardened public community service. The live demonstration currently provides authentication, session-based posting, SQLite persistence, SDG categorisation, search and live analytics. Future security hardening and multi-node functionality remain research and development objectives.
nodglas@node01 :~$ system-status
SYSTEM …………….. NÓD GLAS NODE 01
VERSION …………….. v0.3
APPLICATION ………… FLASK
LANGUAGE ………….. PYTHON
DATABASE …………. SQLITE
INTERFACE ………… HTML / CSS / JINJA2
[ SYSTEM CHECK ]
✔ APPLICATION INITIALISED
✔ DATABASE CONNECTED
✔ COMMUNITY BOARD READY
✔ SDG CATEGORISATION ACTIVE
✔ NODE OPERATIONAL
nodglas@node01 :~$ █
What Node 01 can do.
The current prototype provides the core functionality required to demonstrate the concept while keeping the underlying architecture lightweight and understandable.
Community Messaging
A simple bulletin-board environment for publishing and viewing community messages and ideas.
SDG Categorisation
Posts can be associated with relevant Sustainable Development Goals to provide contextual organisation.
Search
Search functionality provides a straightforward way to locate relevant information within the node.
Analytics
Live node analytics count community posts by SDG category, providing a simple demonstration of database aggregation and impact-oriented reporting.
Access Control
Authentication and session-based access control restrict community posting to an authenticated user session.
Responsive Interface
The interface is designed to remain accessible across desktop and mobile environments.
Hosted for
demonstration.
Node 01 was originally developed locally using Windows 10, Python and a web browser. For the public demonstration, the application has been deployed through the project’s Namecheap/cPanel hosting environment using Python, Flask and Passenger.
The WordPress site provides the presentation and portfolio layer only; Node 01 is a separate Python application with its own SQLite database and application runtime.
Inside the node.
Node 01 follows a lightweight layered architecture, separating the user interface, application logic, authentication and data layer.
Small infrastructure.
Serious thinking.
Keeping infrastructure and data under the operator’s control wherever practical.
Exploring infrastructure that can operate independently rather than requiring a large central platform.
Building a foundation that can evolve as additional services and nodes are developed.
Considering privacy, resilience, sustainability and accessibility alongside functionality.
This node is only the beginning.
See the system
in action.
The prototype is now operational as a working demonstration and forms the technical foundation for the wider Nód Glas project and its future experiments.
A working system,
now demonstrated live.
Node 01 has progressed from an initial concept into a functioning web application. The implementation now provides authentication, community posting, persistent SQLite storage, SDG categorisation, search and live node-level analytics.
The current Node 01 implementation provides a lightweight community bulletin-board environment in which an authenticated user can submit ideas, needs and useful information. Submitted content is stored in the node’s local SQLite database and subsequently rendered back through the Flask application.
- Session-based user authentication
- Protected community posting
- SDG classification & live analytics
- Persistent SQLite database storage
- Keyword / SDG / username search
- Responsive browser interface