### NEAR: Building Scalable Decentralized Applications NEAR Protocol serves as a blockchain platform with a core focus on facilitating the creation of decentralized applications (DApps). With a focus on usability, performance, and developer-friendliness, NEAR empowers developers to build DApps that can handle large user bases without compromising on speed and security. **Running a NEAR Node on Dappnode and Contributing to the Network** Operating a NEAR node on Dappnode allows you to actively contribute to the NEAR network's security and functionality. As a node operator, you participate in validating transactions, securing the network, and maintaining consensus, while contributing to the decentralized ecosystem.