Most modern web resources use the HTTPS extension as their main communication protocol. But back in the middle of 2015, the development of an alternative method of “communication” with the Internet called IPFS began. The new decentralized file sharing network aims to speed up the world wide web and make it more resilient. The Brave browser was the first to support such a protocol.
The developers reported on the introduction of support for the peer-to-peer network protocol IPFS into the application, thanks to which access to the network will be significantly accelerated, privacy and the speed of rendering web pages will be increased. Unlike the ubiquitous HTTPS, which creates a multi-rank client-server network, in IPFS all participants are equal, notes 4PDA.
The principle of operation of IPFS is somewhat similar to the structure of torrent trackers, whose users interact with each other without the participation of an intermediate server. Analysts note that the use of IPFS will not only significantly increase the speed of content transfer, but also make the Internet more resistant to disruptions and censorship.
Brave is currently used by about 24 million people, states NIX Solutions. From now on, they can open pages that start with ifps: //. There is no information about plans to include support for the IPFS protocol by other browsers.