IPFS is a peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol and content-addressed storage system that identifies data by cryptographic hashes rather than network locations. It enables the creation of a decentralized web by organizing files and directories as directed acyclic graphs of linked content identifiers.
The project differentiates itself through the use of a distributed hash table for locating peers and a system of signed records to map human-readable names to changing content. It also provides HTTP gateways that translate standard web requests into peer-to-peer queries, allowing decentralized data to be accessible via standard web browsers.
Broad capabilities cover decentralized data storage, including content pinning for persistence and the hosting of static websites with custom DNS resolution. The system also includes peer-to-peer messaging via a topic-based pubsub system, cryptographic key management for data authenticity, and tools for visualizing network traffic and peer connectivity.
Node operations can be managed through a command-line interface, a browser-based GUI, or a standardized HTTP RPC API.