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Cycles, runway and the Reserve

icLens shows several balances. Each pays for something different, so a payment only helps if it goes to the right one.

Four balances

Section titled “Four balances”
Balance Belongs to Pays for
A canister’s cycles That canister Running that canister
Your Agent’s cycles The Agent canister Monitor, storage, queries and checks
The Reserve Your Agent Automatic top-ups of your canisters
Your wallet You, in OISY Top-ups and new canisters you pay for yourself

Topping up the Reserve doesn’t fund a canister, and topping up a canister doesn’t fund the Agent. Choose the balance you mean.

Runway

Section titled “Runway”

Runway is roughly how long a canister’s cycles last at its current burn. It is an estimate: a busier week shortens it. When there isn’t enough history yet, icLens says so, or uses the canister’s idle burn and labels it.

The freezing threshold

Section titled “The freezing threshold”

Every canister keeps a reserve of cycles set by its freezing threshold. When its balance falls to that reserve, the canister freezes and stops answering calls, even though its balance isn’t zero. A top-up unfreezes it.

Which flow to use

Section titled “Which flow to use”