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PGeneralAlso P2PUpdated 2 Nov 2026

Peer-to-peer (P2P)

Network model where participants interact directly without central authority.

Definition

Peer-to-peer (P2P) is the network model where participants interact directly without central authority. Founders reach for it when a vague conversation needs a shared, specific meaning. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.

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In the room

How the word shows up in a real conversation.

Two cofounders disagree until they define Peer-to-peer (P2P). Once they agree it means “Network model where participants interact directly without central authority”, the argument becomes a decision.

Common mistake

Using Peer-to-peer (P2P) as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.

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