Download Download IPFS Companion for Chrome 2.19.1 Free

Explore the world of content addressing systems with the Chrome extension, which can access public gateways to efficiently distribute files across the network

IPFS companion Is a Chrome extension that allows access to IFPS technology (Interplanetary File System protocol). This protocol is the next generation protocol for file sharing, data transmission and overall online content preservation.

What is the principle and operating mechanism of IPFS?

On a larger scale, the IPFS protocol is a mechanism that supports a fully decentralized data storage system to achieve rapid retrieval and sharing. The system is based on a peer-to-peer architecture. The normal operating mechanism on Interned is based on location. What does it mean? You have a server (location) and you send requests to that server, for example to access pictures. The location grants or does not grant permissions based on its access control level.

IPFS is a system for storing node information. This is a simple form of an object-oriented mechanism (a container with data and links). An IPFS object can store up to 256KB. If you have a file larger than 256KB, its content is distributed among multiple IPFS objects, each IPFS object is the maximum size, plus an additional empty IPFS object, used to store and link to all parts of the file (can be Retrieve from other IPFS objects) ), in the correct order.

How do you identify a single file/data in the network? Each element has a unique hash value, just like a digital blueprint. Every time you need to access an element in the IPFS network, the hash value you are looking for must match the hash value of an item that already exists in the database. Only under these conditions can users access files.

What is this Chrome extension about and do you need it?

At this point, you may be wondering what IPFS Companion can do for you. Well, it just allows you to share data within the network. how can that be? Let’s look at a classic case scenario. There is a picture stored on the server. If the provider shuts down the location server, or simply removes public access, you will no longer be able to find/copy the image.

With IPFS, you can always access the files stored in each database, which are usually maintained by all active peers in the network. Chrome extensions open the door to a wider range of technologies. After installing the plug-in, you can quickly access all the advantages of IPFS with the click of a button.

First, you should select the connection type: directly connect to the local or js-ipfs node in the browser. Second, you should customize other options in order to better understand the mechanism and flow of extensions happening in the background. The service allows you to customize the URL of the IPFS API, select and set your public and local gateways, customize access and DNSLink lookup strategies, and perform more operations.

Decentralized storage and fast access

As a peer-to-peer system, it is transformed into a server that lacks central guidance authority or is always active and operating normally. This means that your contribution is not only important but also mandatory. IPFS Companion is the type of system that requires your active participation. This does not mean anything, as long as the Chrome extension is always active, you can accumulate to contribute to the network sharing mechanism.

As long as you participate in the network and actively contribute to building a reliable database, you can quickly access files and resources that are lost/no longer available. Having said this, you should at least test the IPFS Companion and learn more about future technologies. For a short introduction, please check this article.