6.1.1 Node Overview

Nodes in Cottonia serve as the core resource units of the network and perform three key functions:

• Compute & Verification: Execute distributed compute tasks and generate Proof-of-Performance.

• Resource Matching & Acceleration: Match compute supply and demand through the intelligent scheduling system.

• Governance & Reward: Participate in platform governance, performance staking, and reward distribution.

Nodes participate in network operations by staking $COT, and earn task settlement revenue, fee-sharing rewards, and system incentives.Over long-term participation, nodes may receive additional resource allocation rights based on stability and performance tiers, up to a maximum of 5× the node’s own resources.