Constraints

OnionHat is built under constraint. These limits are acknowledged explicitly because unacknowledged constraints become hidden failures.

Technical Constraints

• Finite bandwidth
• Latency tradeoffs
• Hardware failure rates
• Energy availability
• Network asymmetries

Systems are designed to degrade, not collapse.

Operational Constraints

• Limited personnel
• Limited time
• Limited attention
• Maintenance overhead

Automation is used cautiously; simplicity is favored.

Legal Constraints

• Jurisdictional exposure
• Provider policies
• Regulatory ambiguity

These are navigated, not denied.

Economic Constraints

• No monetization through surveillance
• No advertising model
• No engagement-driven metrics

Sustainability is preferred over growth.

Human Constraints

• Operators make mistakes
• Users misconfigure systems
• Documentation can lag reality

Processes are designed to tolerate error.

Why Constraints Matter

Systems that deny limits accumulate hidden risk.
Systems that acknowledge limits can be reasoned about.

OnionHat chooses the second.