Waku takes a modular approach, providing a range of protocols that enable applications to control the trade-offs involved in the [Anonymity Trilemma](https://eprint.iacr.org/2017/954.pdf). This flexibility empowers applications to make informed choices regarding the desired balance between anonymity, scalability, and latency. Here are the main protocols provided by Waku:
`Relay` protocol employs a Pub/Sub architecture to facilitate message routing among peers. It extends the [libp2p GossipSub protocol](https://github.com/libp2p/specs/blob/master/pubsub/gossipsub/README.md) to create a privacy-focused peer-to-peer messaging protocol that enables secure communication channels, encryption, and protection against censorship.
`RLN Relay` protocol extends the `Relay` protocol by using [Rate Limit Nullifiers (RLN)](https://rfc.vac.dev/spec/32/) to provide efficient and economic spam prevention. It caps the bandwidth usage for all peers on the network, effectively preventing spam, and imposes financial penalties and network removal for spammers. You can find more details [in this blog post](https://vac.dev/rln-relay).
`Filter` protocol allows light nodes to selectively subscribe to specific messages transmitted by other peers. It is designed to be a lightweight alternative to the `Relay` protocol, particularly tailored for devices with limited bandwidth.
`Store` protocol is responsible for storing messages relayed on the network, making it possible to query and retrieve them later. This functionality benefits offline peers by enabling them to retrieve missed messages upon reconnection.
Using `Relay` and `Filter` protocols is recommended when a node is online, as `Store` does not guarantee data availability. The `Store` protocol is suitable for retrieving messages when connecting to the network, like when a dApp starts.
`Light Push` is a [Request/Reply](/overview/concepts/network-domains#requestreply-domain) protocol for nodes with limited bandwidth and short connection windows. It allows a client to receive an acknowledgment when sending messages, indicating that at least one peer has received them.
`Waku Message` specifies the message structure used in the Waku network. It defines the attributes and metadata fields that accompany a message, including the following:
`Payload` provides guidelines for implementing secure and private communication in the network. It covers encryption, decryption, and signing methods for message payloads, focusing on confidentiality, authenticity, integrity, and unlinkability.
