diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp
index c92303ee7b..0481e9911d 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp
@@ -15,29 +15,77 @@
 
 #include "DomainServerNodeData.h"
 
-const QString DomainMetadata::USERS_KEY = "users";
-const QString DomainMetadata::USERS_NUM_KEY = "num_users";
-const QString DomainMetadata::USERS_HOSTNAMES_KEY = "users_hostnames";
+const QString DomainMetadata::USERS = "users";
+const QString DomainMetadata::USERS_NUM_TOTAL = "num_users";
+const QString DomainMetadata::USERS_NUM_ANON = "num_anon_users";
+const QString DomainMetadata::USERS_HOSTNAMES = "user_hostnames";
+// users metadata will appear as (JSON):
+// { "num_users": Number,
+//   "num_anon_users": Number,
+//   "user_hostnames": { <HOSTNAME>: Number }
+// }
 
-DomainMetadata::DomainMetadata() :
-    _metadata{{ USERS_KEY, {} }} {
+const QString DomainMetadata::DESCRIPTORS = "descriptors";
+const QString DomainMetadata::DESCRIPTORS_DESCRIPTION = "description";
+const QString DomainMetadata::DESCRIPTORS_CAPACITY = "capacity"; // parsed from security
+const QString DomainMetadata::DESCRIPTORS_RESTRICTION = "restriction"; // parsed from ACL
+const QString DomainMetadata::DESCRIPTORS_MATURITY = "maturity";
+const QString DomainMetadata::DESCRIPTORS_HOSTS = "hosts";
+const QString DomainMetadata::DESCRIPTORS_TAGS = "tags";
+// descriptors metadata will appear as (JSON):
+// { "capacity": Number,
+//   TODO: "hours": String, // UTF-8 representation of the week, split into 15" segments
+//   "restriction": String, // enum of either OPEN, RESTRICTED_HIFI, RESTRICTED_ACL
+//   "maturity": String, // enum corresponding to ESRB ratings
+//   "hosts": [ String ], // capped list of usernames
+//   "description": String, // capped description
+//   TODO: "img": {
+//      "src": String,
+//      "type": String,
+//      "size": Number,
+//      "updated_at": Number,
+//   },
+//   "tags": [ String ], // capped list of tags
+// }
+
+// metadata will appear as (JSON):
+// { users: <USERS>, descriptors: <DESCRIPTORS> }
+//
+// it is meant to be sent to and consumed by an external API
+
+DomainMetadata::DomainMetadata() {
+    _metadata[USERS] = {};
+    _metadata[DESCRIPTORS] = {};
+}
+
+void DomainMetadata::setDescriptors(QVariantMap& settings) {
+    // TODO
+
+    QVariantMap descriptors;
+
+    #if DEV_BUILD || PR_BUILD
+    qDebug() << "Regenerated domain metadata - descriptors:" << descriptors;
+#endif
 }
 
 void DomainMetadata::usersChanged() {
     static const QString DEFAULT_HOSTNAME = "*";
 
     auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<LimitedNodeList>();
-    int numConnectedUnassigned = 0;
+    int numConnected = 0;
+    int numConnectedAnonymously = 0;
     QVariantMap userHostnames;
 
     // figure out the breakdown of currently connected interface clients
-    nodeList->eachNode([&numConnectedUnassigned, &userHostnames](const SharedNodePointer& node) {
+    nodeList->eachNode([&numConnected, &numConnectedAnonymously, &userHostnames](const SharedNodePointer& node) {
         auto linkedData = node->getLinkedData();
         if (linkedData) {
             auto nodeData = static_cast<DomainServerNodeData*>(linkedData);
 
             if (!nodeData->wasAssigned()) {
-                ++numConnectedUnassigned;
+                ++numConnected;
+
+                // TODO: numConnectedAnonymously
 
                 // increment the count for this hostname (or the default if we don't have one)
                 auto placeName = nodeData->getPlaceName();
@@ -47,10 +95,13 @@ void DomainMetadata::usersChanged() {
         }
     });
 
-    QVariantMap users = {{ USERS_NUM_KEY, numConnectedUnassigned }, { USERS_HOSTNAMES_KEY, userHostnames }};
-    _metadata[USERS_KEY] = users;
+    QVariantMap users = {
+        { USERS_NUM_TOTAL, numConnected },
+        { USERS_NUM_ANON, numConnectedAnonymously },
+        { USERS_HOSTNAMES, userHostnames }};
+    _metadata[USERS] = users;
 
-#if DEV_BUILD
+#if DEV_BUILD || PR_BUILD
     qDebug() << "Regenerated domain metadata - users:" << users;
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h
index ae6dfe10a1..e2f4674afc 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h
@@ -14,16 +14,36 @@
 #include <QVariantMap>
 #include <QJsonObject>
 
-class DomainMetadata {
-    static const QString USERS_KEY;
-    static const QString USERS_NUM_KEY;
-    static const QString USERS_HOSTNAMES_KEY;
+class DomainMetadata : public QObject {
+Q_OBJECT
+
+    static const QString USERS;
+    static const QString USERS_NUM_TOTAL;
+    static const QString USERS_NUM_ANON;
+    static const QString USERS_HOSTNAMES;
+
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_DESCRIPTION;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_CAPACITY;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_HOURS;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_RESTRICTION;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_MATURITY;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_HOSTS;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_TAGS;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_IMG;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_IMG_SRC;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_IMG_TYPE;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_IMG_SIZE;
+    static const QString DESCRIPTORS_IMG_UPDATED_AT;
 
 public:
     DomainMetadata();
 
     QJsonObject get() { return QJsonObject::fromVariantMap(_metadata); }
-    QJsonObject getUsers() { return QJsonObject::fromVariantMap(_metadata[USERS_KEY].toMap()); }
+    QJsonObject getUsers() { return QJsonObject::fromVariantMap(_metadata[USERS].toMap()); }
+    QJsonObject getDescriptors() { return QJsonObject::fromVariantMap(_metadata[DESCRIPTORS].toMap()); }
+
+    void setDescriptors(QVariantMap& settings);
 
 public slots:
     void usersChanged();
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
index c24fd02727..88c4e215b2 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
@@ -94,13 +94,13 @@ DomainServer::DomainServer(int argc, char* argv[]) :
     qRegisterMetaType<DomainServerWebSessionData>("DomainServerWebSessionData");
     qRegisterMetaTypeStreamOperators<DomainServerWebSessionData>("DomainServerWebSessionData");
     
-    // make sure we hear about newly connected nodes from our gatekeeper
-    connect(&_gatekeeper, &DomainGatekeeper::connectedNode, this, &DomainServer::handleConnectedNode);
-
     // update the metadata when a user (dis)connects
     connect(this, &DomainServer::userConnected, &_metadata, &DomainMetadata::usersChanged);
     connect(this, &DomainServer::userDisconnected, &_metadata, &DomainMetadata::usersChanged);
 
+    // make sure we hear about newly connected nodes from our gatekeeper
+    connect(&_gatekeeper, &DomainGatekeeper::connectedNode, this, &DomainServer::handleConnectedNode);
+
     if (optionallyReadX509KeyAndCertificate() && optionallySetupOAuth()) {
         // we either read a certificate and private key or were not passed one
         // and completed login or did not need to
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ DomainServer::DomainServer(int argc, char* argv[]) :
 
         optionallyGetTemporaryName(args);
     }
+
+    // update the metadata with current descriptors
+    _metadata.setDescriptors(_settingsManager.getSettingsMap());
 }
 
 DomainServer::~DomainServer() {