IPFS Fundamentals

IPFS — the InterPlanetary File System — is a peer-to-peer protocol for storing and sharing files by content, not by server hostname. Instead of asking 'where is example.com/images/logo.png,' you ask 'who has the bytes that hash to this CID?'

CIDs can use different multihash algorithms and codecs — v0 (Qm…) and v1 (bafy…) are common. Gateways translate ipfs:// links into HTTPS for browsers that do not run an IPFS node. That convenience reintroduces a centralized hop unless users fetch directly from peers.

IPFS is not a blockchain and does not guarantee persistence. Nodes garbage-collect unpinned data to save disk space. For production use, treat IPFS as the distribution and addressing layer, then layer pinning services or Filecoin deals underneath for durability.