What is IPFS

IPFS stands for InterPlanetary File System and it is a different way to access files on the Internet than the standard HTTP request that we all currently use.

What’s interesting about IPFS is that it uses hashes to store data and then it links directly to that data. In the current system with HTTP, resources are put in link structure on websites and servers.

For example: https://skypointwebdesignbillingsmontana.com/what-is-ipfs/ the root URL is https://skypointwebdesignbillingsmontana.com/ and the article is located at what-is-ipfs/

This link structure is easy for humans to read, but not as easy for machines to read. What is special about IPFS is that it is way quicker for machines to read and return the data when requested.

I first learned about this technology in a post from my LinkedIn connection Keir Finlow-Bates, who put out this video today:

Currently there is no active integration of this system in our common browsers such as Chrome, Firefox or Safari. However, a new browser called Brave does have active IPFS standard included.

This allows users of Brave to search the IPFS and the HTTP system at the same time to locate both files and websites in the quickest way possible, respectively.

In the future, we may be using a IPFS for all documents located on the web, as it will require much less processing power to access and retrieve the documents when requested.

One thought that I have as a marketer and SEO is how will search engines find these files with just a hash?

I assume they will probably come up with some type of metadata attachment to the documents, however this is yet to be decided.

What are your thoughts about this new standard and do you think it will catch on? Sound off in the comments!

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Written by: Jophiel Silvestrone

Jophiel Silvestrone has written 326 posts in the Tech Blog.

Jophiel grew up on a ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana near Chico Hot Springs. Working on the ranch instilled work ethic and self motivation. Filled with this drive, Jophiel started mowing the local school's yards twice a month throughout the summers, at the age of 12. He moved to Billings in 2004, where he has been deeply involved in the local business community ever since. A serial entrepreneur, Jophiel has ran multiple businesses in our local community. The first business, a janitorial and carpet cleaning company, founded in 2005, has employed over 50 locals. Moving on to the media industry, Jophiel and several partners founded Green Directory Montana in the spring of 2007. Green Directory's sustainability ranking software awarded points based on sustainable or "green" actions. These points counted towards a business's total "Green Score," which in turn ranked them against other businesses in their category and throughout the entire site. It also featured a limited edition print version distributed annually. A business acquisition allowed Jophiel to focus on new projects, and a few close business colleagues and Jophiel started Rocky Mountain Mr. & Ms. Magazine, a lifestyle publication for men and women in the Magic City. After a year and a half at the helm of RM3 Magazine, the business was purchased. He now runs a web development company SkyPoint Studios and fathers his son Jaoquin, who plays football, basketball, soccer, and is learning snowboarding from his dad. Recently, has expanded to locations in Havasu, Arizona & Vegas. SkyPoint Studios is a market leader in both Billings & Havasu and Jophiel is working on building that same level of market dominance in Vegas. Specialties: Extensive experience in online and offline business. Especially savvy at WordPress, and operate several sites, one example is the blog: skypointwebdesignbillingsmontana.com/tech-blog. Check out skypointwebdesignbillingsmontana.com for the latest projects from SkyPoint Studios.