#InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)
The InterPlanetary File System, or IPFS, is an open-source distributed network protocol that enables users to securely store and transfer data across a distributed file system. It was developed by Protocol Labs with the mission of creating a decentralized web that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The IPFS protocol is designed to provide decentralization, security and scalability for applications like blockchain networks, peer-to-peer networks, content distribution systems, databases and cloud storage services.
Using IPFS allows users to store files on multiple computers connected on a single network instead of relying on one central server or entity. This eliminates single points of failure which makes it more secure than traditional solutions while offering faster performance due to its distributed nature. Additionally, IPFS provides built-in versioning control which ensures that only approved versions are accessible at any given time preventing malicious actors from tampering with data stored within the system.
When using IPFS for transferring large amounts of data over long distances it’s important to take into account bandwidth constraints as well as latency issues caused by geographical distance between peers in the same network. To address this issue when sending files over an IPFS network nodes can fragment them into smaller parts before transmission allowing for rapid retrieval even if some parts fail during transit due to poor connection quality or other technical difficulties such as node failures or congestion in local areas of high traffic density .
Finally , another key feature enabling further scalability is sharding which allows larger datasets split up into smaller pieces and spread out among different nodes each responsible for storing fragments improving overall availability since there isn’t a single point where all information has to be stored making it easier and faster access data stored within these shards compared against centralized systems
