No. You need to install Qortal, create an account, and optionally register a name. The technical infrastructure works in the background. You interact with MERIT like a normal app — browse listings, create commitments, invite witnesses. The decentralization happens underneath.
common questions
Qortal FAQ
Common questions about Qortal, QDN, names, privacy, and using MERIT.
Infrastructure should serve the circle, not own it.
answers
Questions men ask before using MERIT on Qortal
Qortal has a native coin (QORT) used for name registration and network operations, but MERIT does not require trading, investing, or speculating. You need a small amount of QORT to register a name. Most new accounts receive enough for at least one registration.
QDN stands for Qortal Data Network. It's the publishing layer where data is stored and indexed. Think of it as a decentralized library: anyone can publish resources, and anyone can search for and retrieve them. MERIT uses QDN for group listings, circle profiles, service missions, and encrypted commitment records.
No — unless you choose to make them public. MERIT has four privacy levels: Private (only you), Witness-only (encrypted for selected witnesses), Circle-private (visible to your circle), and Public proof (service missions, earned credentials). The default for R.A.W. commitments is witness-only — encrypted so only your chosen witnesses can decrypt them.
You can browse the directory and view public listings without a registered name. To publish listings, create commitments, or attest as a witness, you need a registered Qortal name.
Your Qortal account is recovered using your seed phrase — a sequence of words generated when you created the account. If you lose both your account access and your seed phrase, you lose access to your name and published records. This is why secure offline backup of your seed phrase is essential.
Public data on QDN is visible to anyone who queries it — that's the point of a public directory. Private data encrypted through MERIT is only readable by the people you choose as recipients. However, no system is perfectly private. Use discernment about what you publish, even in encrypted form. Never put raw trauma disclosures, private family details, or sensitive identity information on-chain — even encrypted.
Most apps store your data on a company's servers. If the company changes policies, raises prices, or shuts down, your group's records could disappear. MERIT publishes data through QDN — a decentralized network with no single corporate owner. Your group listing, circle profile, and attestation records exist on the network, not on a corporate database.
No. You run Qortal when you want to use MERIT — to browse, publish, create commitments, or attest. When Qortal is closed, your published data remains on QDN (other nodes maintain the network). You only need Qortal running when you're actively using it.
Contact Worldwide Brotherhood through the contact page, or ask in your circle if other members have encountered the same issue. The Qortal community also maintains documentation and support channels.