# Application Design Considerations

Application design for a private HashSphere differs from public network design in a few key areas. This page outlines the primary considerations to keep in mind when building applications for a private Hedera network.

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### Public Mainnet vs. Private HashSphere

The following table compares the design considerations for applications built on the public Hedera [mainnet](https://docs.hedera.com/hedera/networks/mainnet) versus a private HashSphere.

| Consideration         | Public Mainnet                                                                                                                                                                                | Private HashSphere                                                                                                                                                          |
| --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Cost Model**        | Applications must optimize for [transaction fees](https://docs.hedera.com/hedera/networks/mainnet/fees), as every operation costs HBAR. The value of HBAR is determined by the public market. | HBAR does not carry real-world value. The supply and cost of operations are controlled by the network operator.                                                             |
| **Trust Environment** | The public mainnet is an open, permissionless environment where anyone can create an account and submit transactions.                                                                         | A permissioned environment with known actors operating under a defined governance model and legal contracts, with recourse for errors.                                      |
| **Data Visibility**   | All transaction data is publicly visible on the ledger. To maintain privacy, you should avoid storing sensitive information directly on-chain.                                                | Visibility is restricted to network participants. In-network privacy solutions, such as encrypting data before submission, can be employed to further enhance data privacy. |
| **Performance**       | Performance is subject to the public network's defined [transaction throttles](https://docs.hedera.com/hedera/networks/mainnet#main-network-throttles).                                       | Predictable performance can be tuned to meet specific application requirements. The network operator can configure custom throttles and resource limits.                    |

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### Architectural Patterns and Review

When designing applications for a private HashSphere, it is important to consider the unique architectural patterns that a private, permissioned environment enables. These may include:

* **Identity and Access Management**: Integrating with enterprise identity systems (e.g., LDAP, OAuth) to manage user access and permissions.
* **Data Privacy and Confidentiality**: Implementing application-level encryption and access control to protect sensitive data.
* **Integration with Existing Systems**: Connecting the HashSphere network to existing enterprise systems, such as databases, APIs, and messaging queues.

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If you would like to review your application architecture or discuss best practices for building on a private HashSphere, please contact the team via the [Hashgraph contact page](https://www.hashgraph.com/contact/).
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