IPFS protocol switches to Ethereum (fork) network, developer community becomes the key factor

The blockchain-based p2p hypermedia protocol IPFS has officially launched its distributed file storage network on the Ethereum (fork) (ETH) network. Its development team explained that the reason why Bitcoin was not chosen was mainly due to the development community and various innovative features of the Ethereum network.

Protocol Labs, the development team behind the IPFS protocol, initially chose to develop the IPFS protocol on the Bitcoin network considering the immutability and unprecedented security of the Bitcoin network.

Bitcoin was the first choice

In the early stages of development, the synergy between the Bitcoin network and the IPFS protocol led to the emergence of various applications.

The security of the Bitcoin network grants IPFS the immutable infrastructure it needs, and the entire protocol based on blockchain infrastructure means that it will be more efficient at lower costs and bandwidth than existing solutions. The IPFS development team said that using this p2p approach, companies with large amounts of data can save millions in bandwidth costs.

Migrate to Ethereum

However, after the IPFS development team realized the significant differences between the two major network development communities, they decided to migrate the IPFS protocol to the Ethereum network. The IPFS development team believes that the unity and high operability of the Ethereum network development community is one of the network's greatest assets, which will ultimately affect the IPFS protocol in many ways.

After IPFS announced the decision, several experts, including initc3 co-director and Cornell University professor Emir Gun Sirer, stressed the importance of a functioning development community.

"The value of a functioning development community is often underestimated," said Emir Gun Sirer.