IPFS (InterPlanetary File System)
Decentralized file storage system — foundation of Web3 data.
IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) is a decentralized protocol for storing and sharing data where files are identified by content (content addressing), not location.
Difference from HTTP:
•HTTP: "give me file from this address (server)"
•IPFS: "give me file with this hash" — no central server
Content Addressing:
•Each file has a CID (Content Identifier) — content hash
•If content changes, CID changes
•Immutability and verifiability
Where it's used:
•NFT metadata — ipfs://QmXxx/ (image and NFT attributes)
•Decentralized websites (via ENS + IPFS)
•Arweave — alternative for permanent storage
•The Graph — indexes IPFS data
Pinning:
•File stays available only while someone "pins" it (stores it)
•Pinata, NFT.Storage, Filecoin — IPFS pinning services
Filecoin: blockchain built to pay nodes for storing IPFS data long-term.