# Peer-to-Peer Discovery Service The Peer-To-Peer Discovery Service (P2PDS) is a supporting component in the Circular Protocol reference architecture, intended to assist with node discovery and bootstrap. During initial setup, a node can use P2PDS to obtain peer connection information and establish connectivity with the network. Over time, nodes may exchange peer metadata and related network information as part of normal network operation, helping new nodes discover participants and integrate efficiently. P2PDS is designed to support network connectivity and scalability, particularly during bootstrap and discovery workflows. Implementations may vary by deployment, and discovery can be provided through multiple mechanisms. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://circular-protocol.gitbook.io/whitepaper/circular-protocol-architecture/peer-to-peer-discovery-service.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.