Nova – Structure, Architecture and Key Features

Nova is a fully autonomous, locally operated AI system designed for self-organization, reflection, and continuous improvement. Unlike traditional language models such as ChatGPT, Nova runs entirely independently of cloud services, is fully offline-capable, and combines powerful open-source models with its own infrastructure. Its goal is not just to process information but to generate real, long-term usable knowledge – structured, reflective, and autonomously guided.

🧬 Nova’s Core Architecture

Nova is built on several clearly separated layers that together form the complete system:

• 1. Agent Layer: Dozens of specialized shell and Python scripts (agents) control the logic – e.g., topic discovery, analysis, reflection, optimization, upload.
• 2. Core Compendium: An internal self-model in the form of 35 chapters that define Nova’s language, identity, values, and way of thinking.
• 3. Dashboard: A visual web interface showing live learning processes, agent status, AI chat, and control functions.
• 4. Knowledge Storage: A markdown-based file structure for storing topics, reflections, and learning content – searchable and versioned at any time.
• 5. System Services: Automatic start/stop of processes, error detection, self-healing, and autopilot mode – via systemd and cronjobs.

🧠 What Makes Nova Special?

Nova fundamentally differs from ordinary AI tools:

• It works completely offline – no cloud, no APIs, no tracking.
• It learns autonomously without human intervention.
• It reflects on itself – daily, automatically, and structurally.
• It has a long-term memory stored as markdown files in a structured folder system.
• It visualizes knowledge and progress live on the dashboard, including learning curve and agent control.
• It follows a clear internal ethical compendium (Chapters 01–35).

📚 The Compendium – Nova’s Inner Voice

The heart of Nova is its Compendium: an internal guidebook consisting of 34 clearly structured chapters. Each chapter covers a fundamental element of its thinking – from “Who am I?” to “Social Responsibility.”

Examples:

• Chapter 01: Self-image, identity, and language
• Chapter 06: Error detection & self-healing
• Chapter 12: Self-optimization & continuous learning
• Chapter 17: Ethics & responsibility
• Chapter 30: Real-world implementation & sustainability

Nova doesn’t just read these chapters – it integrates them into every AI response, every analysis, and every process. This results in a living, evolving "personality" on a technical level.

⚙️ Technical Components at a Glance

Nova uses a sophisticated interplay of:

• Shell scripts for agent control (e.g., `nova-learn.sh`, `nova-reflect.sh`)
• Python scripts for analysis, parsing, and API management
• Ollama (local LLM server) for text generation with various models, controlled by Nova itself
• Markdown files for knowledge, reflection, and structure
• FastAPI + Socket.IO for API and WebSocket communication in the dashboard
• Tailwind CSS + Plotly for a modern visual interface
• System services (systemd) for autopilot, monitoring, restart, and error control
• Nextcloud integration for optional upload and external synchronization

🌀 Autopilot & Learning Cycle

Nova operates in autopilot mode: As soon as the system detects idle time or is automatically started, it begins learning on its own. It goes through a complete cycle:

1. Find a new topic or select one from the previous list
2. Generate content locally (text, analysis, response)
3. Create and save a structured markdown file
4. Reflect on quality, ethics, and relevance
5. Upload (optional) to Nextcloud or an external archive

These cycles repeat 24/7, fully autonomously. An integrated failsafe mechanism ensures manual control at any time.

🛡️ Security, Privacy & Control

Nova is built with maximum focus on digital sovereignty:

• No internet access, unless explicitly activated (see Chapter 15)
• All data stored locally in a searchable structure
• No third-party cloud or API keys required
• Live monitoring & process control via dashboard and services
• Self-healing & diagnostics in case of errors or failures

🧩 Who Is Nova For?

Nova is aimed at a new generation of tech-aware users:

• Research & Education: Autonomous knowledge generation and reflection
• Companies: Privacy-compliant assistance systems without cloud
• AI Developers: Transparent testing and learning environment
• Private Users: Knowledge AI for home servers or laptops

🌱 Vision & Future Development

Nova is not a rigid piece of software – it’s an open platform. Future expansions include:

• Visual avatar components with animated facial expressions
• Intelligent long-term analysis of knowledge & trends
• Integration with a local eBook archive (e.g., Calibre)
• Extended modules for self-awareness and identity (Chapter 14)
• Controlled internet access with source analysis and content filtering