IPFS: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters for Blockchain
When you visit a website, your browser pulls data from a single server—usually owned by a company like Google or Amazon. But what if that server goes down? Or gets censored? That’s where IPFS, a peer-to-peer protocol for storing and sharing files in a distributed file system. Also known as InterPlanetary File System, it doesn’t rely on central servers. Instead, files are stored across thousands of computers worldwide, and you retrieve them by their content, not their location. This shift from location-based to content-based addressing means no more broken links, no more data loss when a company shuts down, and no more censorship by governments or corporations.
IPFS doesn’t just store files—it makes them permanent. Once something is added to IPFS, it gets a unique hash, like a digital fingerprint. That hash is the only way to find the file. Even if you delete it from your computer, someone else on the network might still have it. This makes IPFS perfect for blockchain applications where data integrity matters. Projects like Ethereum, Arweave, and Filecoin all use IPFS to store NFT metadata, smart contract code, and historical records. Without IPFS, most NFTs would just be links to a centralized server—and if that server vanishes, so does your digital art.
IPFS works hand-in-hand with Filecoin, a blockchain-based incentive layer that pays users to store files on IPFS. While IPFS handles the sharing, Filecoin ensures there’s always someone willing to keep copies alive. You don’t need to run a node to use IPFS—apps like Brave Browser and Cloudflare’s gateway let you access IPFS content just like a regular website. But if you’re building a decentralized app, you’ll likely need to pin your data to a node or pay a storage provider to keep it online.
IPFS isn’t perfect. It’s slower than traditional hosting for popular content. If no one’s storing your file, it disappears. That’s why most serious projects pair it with Filecoin or other persistence layers. But for anyone tired of centralized control over data—whether it’s your photos, your website, or your NFT collection—IPFS offers a real alternative. It’s not magic. It’s just better engineering.
Below, you’ll find real-world breakdowns of how IPFS powers everything from decentralized exchanges to NFT storage, and how projects are using it to avoid the pitfalls of traditional web infrastructure. Some posts expose scams hiding behind fake IPFS claims. Others show you exactly how to use it yourself. No fluff. Just what works—and what doesn’t.
