> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arcium.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# MXEs overview

> How MXEs group programs, computation definitions, keys, and Clusters for encrypted execution

An MPC eXecution Environment (MXE) groups a Solana program, its computation definitions, MPC key material, and the Cluster that executes its computations.

Applications can use an MXE for different workload patterns:

1. **One-time computations:** Commission a computation once and discard its transient computation account.
2. **Recurring computations:** Commission the same definition repeatedly with new inputs and persist application state in Solana accounts.

Both workload patterns use the same MXE configuration. Computation state is transient; persistent application state lives in Solana accounts used by the MXE's program.

Each MXE is bound to one Cluster at a time. Its authority can explicitly initiate [Cluster migration](/clusters/cluster-migration) through key recovery.

### Execution workflow

Executing a computation in Arcium's MXEs requires several prerequisites.

1. **Prepare preprocessing data:** Cluster members generate and store the values required by the MPC protocol.
2. **Select the computation:** The program promotes a computation from the Cluster's mempool using leader choice, priority price, and account-lock ordering.
3. **Execute the circuit:** Cluster members run the computation offchain with Cerberus.
4. **Submit the outcome:** The Cluster signs the outcome and invokes the configured callback. Computations that remain queued expire after 180 slots; see [Lifecycle of an Arcium computation](/computations/lifecycle-of-an-arcium-computation).


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