what is ipfs

IPFS is a very popular term, and there are many IPFS mining machines on the market. So what exactly is IPFS? Is it a blockchain project, a cryptocurrency, or something else?

The full name of IPFS is Inter Planetary File System. In direct translation, it is called "Interplanetary File System". It was proposed by Protocol Lab and is a peer-to-peer (P2P) Distributed file system. (Recommended learning: PHP video tutorial)

However, although it is a file system and a technology used to store data, it is more precise to say that IPFS is a Transfer Protocol. IPFS regards HTTP as an opponent and wants to fight against HTTP in publicity.

IPFS is a permanent, decentralized method of saving and sharing files based on the blockchain. It is a point-to-point distributed protocol.

Analogy to HTTP, if we want to find the content we want on the Internet, we must enter the URL. The URL often starts with HTTP, so we must also go through it.

Another problem is that web files are often deleted. We may encounter while surfing the Internet. If we bookmark a web page, the browser web page will display 404 when using it.

And the current web storage cost is very high, and the time is up to 100 days. So you will find that web files are often deleted.

IPFS provides the function of backtracking historical versions of files (just like the git version control tool). You can easily view the historical versions of files, and the data can be permanently saved.

Centralization of the Internet It will inhibit the growth of the web. On the contrary, distributed IPFS can overcome these shortcomings of the web.

HTTP uploads and downloads files through the transfer of domain names, IPs and multiple central servers. The achievements of HTTP are irreplaceable. Now we all rely on HTTP when surfing the Internet. However, HTTP also has some problems, such as not very high performance efficiency, excessive reliance on central servers and backbone networks, etc.

In contrast, IPFS is a multi-centralized solution. Content addressing is not through domain names and IPs, but through unique HASH keys for data search.

IPFS is a distributed file storage system. File data is not stored in a centralized server, but is stored on all qualified computers on the network.

This is a bit like P2P torrent downloading. For example, if you download a small movie, the download resources come from the computers of many users on the Internet who are also downloading the movie, rather than from the central server of a certain movie website. download. Of course, IPFS is more than just that, it has many other features, and its levels and scope of applications are not comparable to P2P downloads.

Many voices believe that IPFS will subvert HTTP. This is just a unilateral statement or opinion. Although IPFS technology is very powerful and has such potential, advanced technology may not necessarily win on the commercial battlefield, nor may it replace HTTP.

In addition, there is also an incentive mechanism in IPFS - Filecoin. Participants (miners) can obtain cryptocurrency Filecoin rewards by contributing storage space and bandwidth.

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