The Invisible Internet Project ([[I2P]]) is a decentralized network overlay protocol that aims to provide anonymity and privacy to users while accessing the internet. It was developed as an alternative to the traditional internet infrastructure, which often lacks security and privacy measures. I2P utilizes a peer-to-peer network architecture, where participating nodes act as both clients and relays. These nodes establish encrypted connections with each other, forming a distributed network that routes traffic in an anonymous manner. The routing process involves multiple layers of encryption and relaying through intermediate nodes, making it difficult for any observer to determine the original source or destination of data packets. One of the key features of I2P is its implementation of onion routing, inspired by the [[Tor]] network. Onion routing involves encrypting data packets multiple times and encapsulating them in layers, similar to the layers of an onion. Each layer contains information about the next hop in the network, but only the final destination knows where the packet originated from. By using I2P, users can protect their online activities from surveillance, censorship, and other forms of monitoring. It enables individuals to access websites anonymously and securely without revealing their identity or location. Additionally, I2P allows for decentralized hosting, making it possible for websites and services to be hosted without relying on centralized servers. While I2P offers enhanced privacy and security compared to traditional internet protocols, it also poses challenges such as slower connection speeds due to relaying through multiple nodes and potential vulnerabilities in its encryption methods. However, ongoing development efforts aim to address these limitations and make I2P a more efficient and reliable solution for anonymous internet access. It's important to note that while I2P provides anonymity within its network overlay, it does not guarantee complete anonymity when interacting with services or websites outside of the I2P infrastructure. Users must still take additional precautions such as using end-to-end encryption or employing other privacy-enhancing tools for complete online anonymity.