IPFS (InterPlanetary File System)
A peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol designed to preserve and grow humanity's knowledge.
Overview
IPFS is a foundational protocol for the decentralized web. It allows users to store and access files, websites, applications, and data in a peer-to-peer network. Instead of addressing content by its location (like a URL), IPFS addresses content by its hash (content-addressing). This makes the web faster, safer, and more resilient, as content can be retrieved from any node that has it, not just a single server.
✨ Key Features
- Content-addressing using cryptographic hashes
- Peer-to-peer file sharing
- Decentralized and censorship-resistant
- File versioning
- Resilient to single points of failure
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Content-addressing instead of location-addressing
- Open-source protocol, not a company
- Acts as a foundational layer for other services like Filecoin
Unique Value: Provides a resilient, decentralized, and efficient way to store and retrieve web content, making the internet more open and robust.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- The de facto standard for storing NFT assets off-chain in a decentralized manner.
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Applications requiring permanent storage without an incentive layer (data can be lost if no one 'pins' it).
- Storing private or sensitive data without client-side encryption.
🏆 Alternatives
Unlike HTTP which relies on centralized servers, IPFS distributes data across a network, preventing single points of failure and censorship. While related to Filecoin and Arweave, IPFS is the core protocol for content addressing, while the others provide incentive layers for storage.
💻 Platforms
✅ Offline Mode Available
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Live Chat
💰 Pricing
Free tier: The protocol itself is free. Costs are associated with running a node or using a third-party pinning service.
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