> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.archivecircle.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Eternum documentation

> Learn how Eternum protects encrypted vault data and coordinates digital inheritance recovery.

Eternum is a zero-knowledge digital inheritance platform. You encrypt important records in your browser, distribute recovery shares to trusted contacts, and define beneficiaries who can recover the vault after death verification.

<Info>
  Eternum cannot read vault contents. The server stores encrypted data, encrypted recovery shares, and release state, but it never receives the plaintext vault key.
</Info>

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Set up your vault" icon="vault" href="/eternum/quickstart">
    Create an account, add encrypted vault items, and prepare recovery shares.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Understand recovery" icon="key" href="/eternum/recovery/overview">
    See how trusted contacts, beneficiaries, and death verification work together.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Review the security model" icon="shield" href="/eternum/security/zero-knowledge-model">
    Learn what Eternum can and cannot decrypt.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Operate Eternum" icon="server" href="/eternum/operators/deployment">
    Deploy the API, web app, database, Redis, and object storage services.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## How Eternum works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a local vault key">
    Your browser derives a master key from your PIN or password using Argon2id.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Encrypt vault items before upload">
    Each vault item is encrypted in the browser with AES-GCM before it leaves your device.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Split recovery shares">
    Your browser splits the master key into Shamir Secret Sharing recovery shares.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Release shares after verification">
    If death verification completes, trusted contacts release beneficiary-bound recovery shares.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Recover in the beneficiary browser">
    Beneficiaries combine enough shares in-browser to reconstruct the master key and decrypt vault items.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  If you lose your credential and do not have enough recovery shares available later, Eternum cannot recover the vault for you.
</Warning>