IPFS

What is IPFS?

IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) is a decentralized network for storing and sharing files. Unlike the traditional web, which finds files by their location (URL), IPFS finds files by their content using a unique cryptographic hash.

How does IPFS work?

1. A file is uploaded to the IPFS network and assigned a unique Content Identifier (CID).
2. The file is split into smaller chunks and distributed across multiple nodes.
3. When a user requests a file, the network finds the nodes storing those specific chunks.
4. The chunks are pulled from various peers and reassembled for the user.
5. "Pinning" ensures that specific files remain available on the network permanently.

Why does IPFS matter?

IPFS eliminates the "single point of failure" common in centralized hosting. If a traditional server goes down, the file is lost; on IPFS, as long as one node in the world is hosting the file, it remains accessible.

Key features of IPFS

• Content-addressing via unique hashes (CIDs)
• Decentralized peer-to-peer architecture
• Resilience against censorship and server outages
• Bandwidth efficiency through deduplication
• Immutable file versioning

Examples of IPFS

Most NFT marketplaces, such as OpenSea, use IPFS to store the actual images and metadata for NFTs, while decentralized websites often use it to host their front-end code.