# 🐝 Swarm
The swarm is a sub-network within the LBRY network. It utilizes open-source principles to focus on the development of community, engagement, and the voices and reputations of individuals and groups within the LBRY network.
Individual nodes are known as hives.
# What is a hive?
A hive is a place to meet people who love the things you love, including, of course, the LBRY protocol and the values it represents.
Anyone can make a hive, everyone can join as many hives as they’d like, and there can be more than one hive that center around the same topic or application.
Some examples of hives:
- Music
- Country music
- EDM
- Anime
- Art
- Photography
- The Ninja Turtles
- Donatello, the staff wielding ninja turtle
- The staff of Donatello, the staff wielding ninja turtle
- Donatello’s graphic novel creation app
- Really, anything!
You could think of hives as subreddits on Reddit, or channels on an IRC server, but different.
# Why should I join or make a hive?
Joining or making a hive is a great way to jump into the LBRY network.
Make some friends, learn some things, share some ideas, gain some experience, build a reputation, or just hang out with like minded individuals.
# How do I join a hive?
Hives are entirely independent and autonomous communities within the larger LBRY network. As such, the process for joining a hive depends entirely on the hive you would like to join. Maybe a hive lets anyone join and all you need to do is join a chat room. In fact, many hives will have their own role and channel right on the LBRY discord server. To join one of those hives simply join the LBRY discord and ask for the appropriate role in the #hiveroles channel!
Otherwise, maybe a hive only lets folks with portfolios join, like photographers or artists. Maybe a hive requires you to write a short story to join. Maybe a hive requires a code contribution. Maybe a hive is entirely open. Maybe a hive has a limited number of possible members. So long as the rules of the hive do not conflict with the ethos and protocol of the LBRY network: maybe anything.
So how do you join? Find the hive you would like to join, find out how to join, and follow their instructions!
# How do I make a hive?
Making a hive is as easy as setting up a chat room and editing a wiki. Actually, that’s the entire process! Some Hives evolved to external discord servers, but they all started as a chat room on our community.
All you need to do to make your own hive is to set up a chat room or forum and add your hive to the hives table on this wiki page.
The easiest way to do this is to join the LBRY discord #makeahive channel and ask for you own hive role and channel. After a brief chat with a friendly moderator, you’ll have your own room and role made right on the LBRY discord. The LBRY discord is already a buzzing place so this is probably the best way to find more people for your new hive.
# How should hives operate?
However you want! Well, mostly.
We are all part of the LBRY network. The network’s ethos, its protocol, its operation, its community and development are paramount. The only written rule for hives is that a hive cannot conflict the LBRY network. Otherwise, literally anything goes.
So go ahead, make a democratic hive. Make an anarchist hive. Make a hive ruled by 12 rings. Make a hive ruled by 1. The LBRY network is your stage, your imagination is your player. Have fun. Experiment. Succeed. Fail. Try again. Fail again. Try again… again. Or don’t. The choices are yours to make.
