What is IPFS and can you use it on the Apillon platform?

Discover IPFS file-sharing and learn how your content gets stored in multiple locations with IPFS upload on the Apillon platform.

Apillon

Aug 17, 2023 • 4 min read

Unpack the basics of IPFS file-sharing with us in this IPFS 101 article.

Learn the difference between IPFS and HTTP protocols, find out what happens to your content when you upload files to IPFS, explore how the IPFS pinning service works, and what are the benefits of IPFS data storage.

And finally, discover how you can use the Apillon platform to upload files to IPFS and get decentralized storage for your content, including NFT metadata.

Ready to enter the next era of file-storing and file-sharing on the internet?

IPFS — how does it differ from HTTP?

Introduced sometime in 2016, IPFS (the Intra-Planetary File System) is a powerful distributed file-sharing system that lets you upload, store and share content in a safer, more efficient, and distributed way on the internet.

You’re probably already familiar with HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), which, like IPFS, is a protocol for accessing and sharing content across the internet.

Simply put, HTTP works kind of like this: Clients (web browsers, for example) send requests to centralized servers, where the content is stored. Servers then respond with the requested content, and voila, the client can access the desired content, for example, a website.

This sounds great, so where lies the problem, and why do we need IPFS file-sharing?

What challenges does the IPFS pinning service solve?

While IPFS is also a protocol for accessing and sharing content like HTTP, it doesn’t utilize a centralized server.

Instead, when you upload files to IPFS, your content gets stored across the IPFS global peer-to-peer network of nodes.

IPFS provides a new way for users to safely store and share files. With IPFS upload, the users don’t have to rely on a centralized server, which represents a single point of failure.

IPFS file-sharing and decentralized storage of content solve several challenges of traditional centralized data-sharing systems:

Cheaper and faster data transfer as IPFS works well even with large files.
No more single points of failure.
No more reliance on specific service providers and centralized control.
No more data privacy concerns.

YAY!

How does IPFS upload work?

A distributed network of nodes

IPFS is a protocol that stores content on a decentralized network of nodes instead of a centralized server.

Imagine nodes as individual computers that can communicate with other computers in the network and share the uploaded content with each other.

When you upload files to IPFS, your content is organized and transferred on this decentralized network of nodes.

IPFS upload

When you upload a file to IPFS, this is called pinning, which is why you’ll often come across the phrase “IPFS pinning service”.

The node will break your file into smaller pieces or “blocks”. Each block will get assigned a unique identifier or “hash” based on the content.

When you upload your files to IPFS, the blocks get stored on different IPFS nodes all across the network.

It’s a WIN-WIN situation: The files are easier and faster to access, but harder to manipulate or censor.

How does one access a file on IPFS?

When you want to access a file on IPFS, the node requests the blocks that constitute your file from other nodes in the network. You get a simple yet powerful IPFS link, that enables you to send your files or just get hold of your link to access them whenever you wish.

IPFS file-sharing enables your file to be stored in multiple locations at once, which makes it easier and faster to access your content compared to traditional protocols, like HTTP.

Can I upload my files to IPFS on the Apillon platform?

Yes, you can. Not only does the Apillon platform currently offer free IPFS upload, but it’s also very simple to store your content using the IPFS pinning service on the Apillon platform.

Since IPFS is a protocol that knows how to store and share files, not a decentralized storage provider, you can’t upload files to IPFS directly unless you want your computer to participate as one of the nodes in the IPFS network.

This is where the Apillon platform comes in as it lets you store your content and upload files to IPFS through one of Polkadot-powered decentralized storage providers, Crust Network.

All you need to do is head over to apillon.io, register, and you can upload your files to IPFS using decentralized Storage and Hosting services without your computer becoming one of the nodes in the IPFS network.

However, decentralized storage and decentralized hosting are only some of the use cases where you can benefit from IPFS file-sharing on the Apillon platform for. For example, if you want to create an NFT collection, you can get NFT metadata storage using the IPFS pinning service to make sure your NFT metadata never gets lost.

But more on that in another article.

Want more?

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⧓ About Apillon

The Apillon platform serves as a unified gateway to the Web3 services provided by linked Polkadot parachains. Following the multi-chain vision, Apillon powers the transition of developers to Web3, simplifying its adoption in the real economy, and expanding its versatility as the ecosystem grows. With Apillon, Web3 services are within reach for every developer, regardless of their background and experience with blockchain technology.