What is InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)

A majority of the platforms and data we have today are stored on central cloud servers owned by a few technology corporations like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM.

Due to centralized data storing downtime in these servers is high, affecting a large number of users.

Central servers often face issues and become inaccessible, resulting in the URLs failing to access websites and platforms and loading it on our browsers.

An alternative to centralized data storage is IPFS.

IPFS is built by Juan benet of protocol labs, The Interplanetary File System (IPFS) is a distributed file storage protocol that allows computers all over the globe to store and serve files as part of a giant peer-to-peer network.

If the server is unavailable or goes down, in the case of HTTP, we would not be able to access the data. On the other hand, with the IPFS protocol, this data is copied to several nodes and is accessible whenever necessary.

IF files are uploaded to IPFS, it will be split into smaller chunks and distributed over multiple computers and IPFS assigns a hash to allow users to locate the file.

Rather than point you towards a location, IPFS links point you towards the content, which could be stored on any number of nodes or computers around the world. As long as the website or content is hosted on at least one computer, however, it will always be accessible.

IPFS allows to update the existing to a new version by connecting it to the old version.

It is not based on blockchain but is considered as the backbone of web3.

Now, imagine accessing the file from the IPFS network. The file, and all of its blocks, are identified by a unique hash of the content itself.

The whole system is based around a key-value data store. This is what allows for the content addressing: anyone can host the key no matter the origin of the information. So, you would connect to the swarm and request to the network that file.

It would first look to the peers closest to you because chances are they have a copy of that file. If they don’t, however, you will connect with the node that originally uploaded the file, since he’s the one that hosts it.

Filecoin, Protocol Labs’ own distributed storage network, is based on IPFS. It incentivizes node operators to host files via cryptocurrency rewards.

Audius, a decentralized music service, uses IPFS to host its audio files.

Pinata is an NFT hosting service that uses IPFS to back up crypto- collectibles for partners like Rarible and Sorare.

OpenBazaar is a peer-to-peer e-commerce platform driven by IPFS.

Morpheus.Network is a supply chain network service that also utilizes IPFS.

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