Exploring IPFS: Grasping the Concept of the Decentralized Web in 2025
The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is revolutionizing the way of data is stored, shared, and accessed online by providing a decentralized option to conventional web protocols like HTTP. By June 2025, as Web3 technologies advance, IPFS has established itself as a foundational element for various initiatives, from crypto airdrops to NFT storage and applications that resist censorship. This article outlines what IPFS is, how it operates, its practical uses, and its implications for the internet’s future.
What is IPFS all ?
IPFS is a peer-to-peer (P2P) protocol and hypermedia framework that aims to create a distributed network for file storage and sharing. Unlike HTTP, which employs location-based addressing (such as retrieving files from particular servers via URLs), IPFS utilizes content addressing. Every file is assigned a distinct cryptographic hash, known as a Content Identifier (CID), serving as its address. This methodology enables files to be accessed from any part of the network that contains a copy, enhancing both resilience and decentralization.
You can think of IPFS as a worldwide, distributed hard drive where users work together to store and share information and data. It shares similarities with BitTorrent but strives to create a unified network that can support the decentralized web, often referred to as Web3 is best. By linking IPFS hosts through a global namespace, it guarantees that data remains available even if some nodes go offline, addressing the vulnerabilities of centralized servers.
How Does IPFS Operate or work?
- File Storage and Hashing:-When a file is uploaded to IPFS, it is divided into smaller pieces (typically 256 KB each). Each piece is cryptographically hashed, producing a unique CID based on the content of the file. Any modifications to the file result in a different CID, ensuring data integrity.
- Distributed Storage: -The file pieces are dispersed across IPFS nodes (computers running the IPFS software). Nodes have the option to temporarily cache files or “pin” them for permanent storage, thereby boosting the network’s overall availability.
- Content Retrieval:-To access a file, users reference its CID. IPFS queries the network using a Distributed Hash Table (DHT), particularly Kademlia, to locate nodes that possess the file. The closest node delivers the content, and the user’s device caches a copy, acting as a provider until the cache is cleared.
- Content Addressing Instead of Location Addressing:- In contrast to HTTP, where a file is requested from a specific server (e.g., “get file from amazon.com”), IPFS queries, “Who has this CID?” This approach negates reliance on a single failure point since the file can be accessed from any node hosting it.
- InterPlanetary Name System (IPNS):- To enhance user-friendliness, IPNS allows users to link a CID to an easily readable name or update a CID when the file content changes, serving a similar purpose as DNS but in a decentralized manner.
IPFS also employs tools such as InterPlanetary Linked Data (IPLD) to handle data relationships e.g., directories and utilizes protocols like Bitswap for efficient data transfers between nodes.
Real-World Uses of IPFS in 2025
IPFS has gained widespread traction across various sectors, particularly in the Web3 landscape. Here are some significant applications:
Cryptocurrency and NFTs: IPFS is commonly used to store NFT metadata, images, and videos. Blockchains like Ethereum keep only a CID on-chain, directing to the actual content stored on IPFS, which lowers storage expenses. As an example, digital artist Nancy Baker Cahill relies on IPFS through NFT.storage to securely store high-resolution art assets. also use
Crypto Airdrops and Token Distribution:- Initiatives such as recent airdrop campaigns e.g., Sonic, Ethereal utilize IPFS to house whitepapers, token distribution information, and promotional material, ensuring accessibility even if their main sites become unavailable.
Censorship Circumvention:-IPFS has been crucial in overcoming censorship. During the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, the Catalan Pirate Party mirrored blocked websites on IPFS. Similarly, when Turkey restricted Wikipedia, an IPFS mirror was established, restoring access for millions.
Decentralized Applications (dApps):- dApps on blockchains like Ethereum and Solana leverage IPFS for storage. For instance, Snapshot records proposals and votes for over 9,000 Web3 projects on IPFS, ensuring both transparency and immutability.
Content Distribution:- Media organizations employ IPFS for effective content distribution. 3S Studios successfully reduced a game’s content size from 2 GB to 40 MB using an IPFS plugin for Unity, demonstrating its ability to deduplicate and compress data.
Scientific Data Sharing:- WeatherXM uses IPFS to disseminate weath