How IPFS fits into the Subsocial stack

How IPFS fits into the Subsocial stack

What is IPFS and what does it do?

The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is a protocol and peer-to-peer network for storing and sharing data in a distributed file system. IPFS uses content-addressing to uniquely identify each file in a global namespace connecting all computing devices.

IPFS allows users to host and receive content in a manner similar to BitTorrent. As opposed to a centrally located server, IPFS is built around a decentralized system of user-operators who hold a portion of the overall data, creating a resilient system of file storage and sharing. Any user in the network can serve a file by its content address, and other peers in the network can find and request that content from any node who has it using a distributed hash table (DHT).

What is stored on the blockchain and what is stored in IPFS?

Subsocial is building on Polkadot using a Substrate blockchain framework (think of it as a global permissionless logic). On Subsocial relationships will be stored on the blockchain, but the content (text, images, video) will be stored in IPFS. IDs of content are also stored on the blockchain along with the accounts, that created the content.

Who is responsible for maintaining the IPFS data ?

Currently Subsocial hosts their own IPFS node for their users. However as this can change in the future, it is up to content owners to worry about replication of their data if they don't want their data to be lost. Anyone can fully or selectively replicate Subsocial's node.  Subsocial is planning to add integrations with decentralized storage platforms like Filecoin/Crust/Arweave in the future. No such integrations have been started yet as running their own IPFS node is a good enough solution for now.

***Are there any costs incurred by node operators or users associated with IPFS? ***

No. Subsocial hosts their own IPFS Node.

Where can I learn more about IPFS

Check out https://dweb-primer.ipfs.io/ to learn more about IPFS.