# Key Terms

Core concepts you'll encounter throughout the documentation.

## Participants

**Client** Publishes Sources and Tasks to the network, paying providers for computational work.

**Provider** Contributes GPU resources to execute tasks and earn $OGPU.

**Master** Controls provider operations without holding provider private keys (non-custodial management).

## Core Concepts

**Source** An execution environment defined by Docker configuration, requirements, and constraints. Clients publish Sources; providers register for the ones they want to support.

**Task** A computational job published to a Source with payment and expiry time. Providers compete to execute tasks.

**Delivery Method** How task completion is determined:

* **First Response** — First valid response wins (speed-based)
* **Manual Confirmation** — Providers bid, client selects (price-based)

## Protocol Components

**Nexus** Orchestrates sources, tasks, and provider registration.

**Terminal** Manages provider-master relationships and hardware registration.

**Vault** Handles payments, staking, and escrow.

**Controller** Handles access control and task publishing permissions.

> See [Glossary](/opengpu-network/glossary.md) for the complete list of terms.


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