thirdweb’s Storage Solution for web3 apps: Explained

Managing data efficiently and securely in the digital world is a significant challenge. And in the blockchain sphere, that’s no different. One of the core benefits of using the blockchain is that it’s immutable: but storing files directly on the blockchain can be expensive and inefficient. This poses a problem for decentralized applications which require more data storage than is feasible onchain. This is where decentralized storage solutions come into play, offering a more robust and trustless method of handling data.

Web3 Storage Solutions

Web3 storage solutions are decentralized systems designed to store and retrieve data across a distributed network, eliminating reliance on centralized servers.

There are multiple decentralized and web3 storage services, such as Arweave, Filecoin and Sia. However, the most popular solution is InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). Put simply IPFS splits data into smaller pieces, distributed across multiple nodes which can be accessed via unique content identifiers (CIDs). This ensures the data’s integrity and availability.

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Why is Storage Important for Creating Blockchain Apps?

Decentralized storage is crucial for blockchain applications for several reasons:

Security

Data is distributed across multiple nodes, much like the nodes in a blockchain. This removes prevents unauthorized access and removes the risk of single points of failure.

Censorship Resistance

Without a central authority, it's challenging for any entity to alter the data. Tampering with data isn’t viable, since it would typically mean controlling many nodes in the system.

Data Integrity

Content addressing ensures that the data retrieved is exactly what was stored. Any alteration would change its CID (unique identification).

Scalability

Off-chain storage of large files reduces the burden on the blockchain, enhancing performance and scalability.

What is thirdweb’s Storage Service?

thirdweb's Storage Service lets you store and retrieve information for smart contracts using decentralized storage solution IPFS. It simplifies the process of uploading and pinning files to IPFS, ensuring they remain permanently available and tamper-proof. The service supports various file types, including images, videos, audio, 3D models, and entire applications, making it versatile for different use cases.

Use thirdweb storage for your contracts →

How Does thirdweb Storage Work?

thirdweb's Storage Service streamlines the interaction with IPFS by handling the complexities of file splitting, uploading, and pinning. When a file is uploaded, it's broken into smaller chunks and distributed across the IPFS network. thirdweb utilizes a pinning service to ensure these files remain persistently available, preventing automatic deletion due to inactivity. Accessing the stored data is facilitated through an IPFS gateway, which retrieves the data from the decentralized network and serves it to the user.

Learn more about thirdweb’s storage solution in the technical docs →

Why Use thirdweb Storage?

Anyone who wants to deploy a smart contract can benefit from thirdweb’s Storage solution. Whether you’re a developer veteran, or just starting out, our storage can help you scale your app. Here’s why you should use it:

To Save Development Time

thirdweb manages the complexities of decentralized file handling, including uploading, pinning, and metadata management, letting you focus on building applications.

To Improve Performance and Availability

With a global edge infrastructure, thirdweb offers faster upload speeds and high availability for decentralized storage, ensuring efficient data access and retrieval.

User-Friendly Interface

Developers can upload files directly through the dashboard, Command-Line Interface (CLI), or Software Development Kits (SDKs), providing flexibility and ease of use.

Censorship Resistance

By storing data in a decentralized manner, thirdweb ensures greater privacy and security, making the data resistant to censorship.

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How Do I Implement thirdweb’s Storage Solution?

Here’s the step by step process of how you can get started with thirdweb’s decentralized storage solution, leveraging IPFS.

1. Set Up thirdweb Client

import { createThirdwebClient } from "thirdweb";
const client = createThirdwebClient({ clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID" });

2. Upload Data to IPFS

import { uploadToIPFS } from "thirdweb/storage";
const file = new File(["Hello, IPFS!"], "hello.txt", { type: "text/plain" });
const ipfsUrl = await uploadToIPFS(file);
console.log("File uploaded to IPFS:", ipfsUrl);

3. Pin Data

thirdweb automatically handles pinning, saving you time to build.

4. Retrieve Data

const response = await fetch(ipfsUrl);
const data = await response.text();
console.log("Retrieved data:", data);

5. Store Metadata on Blockchain

const contract = await client.getContract("YOUR_CONTRACT_ADDRESS");
await contract.call("storeData", ipfsUrl);

Check out the full instructions in our technical docs →

thirdweb Infra

thirdweb's infrastructure provides a comprehensive suite of tools for Web3 developers. Beyond Storage, thirdweb offers:

RPC Edge, providing reliable and scalable access to blockchain networks; and Insight, a powerful blockchain indexer, giving you the power to query data as and when needed. By leveraging thirdweb's infrastructure, developers can build robust, scalable, and secure Web3 applications with ease. Get started with thirdweb's Storage Service today to experience seamless decentralized storage integration.

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