How Do I Create an IPFS Link?

Creating an IPFS link involves adding your content to the InterPlanetary File System and then obtaining its unique identifier, known as a Content Identifier (CID), which forms the basis of the IPFS link. This link allows anyone to access your content on the distributed web.

Understanding IPFS Links

An IPFS link, at its core, points to a Content Identifier (CID). A CID is a self-describing address that is derived from the content itself, meaning if the content changes, its CID also changes. When you "create an IPFS link," you are essentially adding your file or data to the IPFS network and getting its corresponding CID. This CID can then be used in various formats, such as ipfs://<CID> or via a public IPFS gateway like https://ipfs.io/ipfs/<CID>.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an IPFS Link

The most straightforward way to create and obtain an IPFS link for your content is by using the IPFS Desktop application.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the IPFS Desktop application installed on your computer.

Steps to Generate an IPFS Link

Here's how to add your file to IPFS and obtain its link:

1. Prepare Your Content:

   • Make sure the file you wish to link is ready. This could be any file type – a document, an image, a video, or even an index.html file if you're hosting a simple web page. For example, if you're hosting a single-page website, create a file named index.html with your website's code.

2. Open IPFS Desktop:

   • Launch the IPFS Desktop application on your computer.
   • Navigate to the Files page within the application interface. This page typically lists all the content you have pinned or added to your local IPFS node.

3. Import Your File:

   • On the Files page, look for the +Import button.
   • Click on +Import and select File (or Folder if you want to import multiple files within a directory).
   • A file browser window will open. Navigate to the location of your prepared file (e.g., your index.html file) and select it.
   • Click "Open" or "Select" to import the file into IPFS Desktop.

4. Obtain the IPFS Link (URL):

   • Once imported, your file will appear in the list on the Files page. IPFS Desktop will automatically generate a CID for it.
   • Locate your newly imported file in the list.
   • Click the triple dot menu (ellipsis icon: ...) next to the file's name.
   • From the options that appear, select Copy. This action will copy the file's IPFS URL (which typically uses a public gateway format) to your clipboard.

5. Verify Your IPFS Link:

   • To ensure the link works correctly, open any web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Brave).
   • Paste the URL you just copied from IPFS Desktop into the browser's address bar and press Enter.
   • Your content should load, demonstrating that the IPFS link is functional and accessible via a public gateway.

By following these steps, you successfully add your content to your local IPFS node and obtain a shareable IPFS link that others can use to access your content on the decentralized web.

Example of an IPFS Link Structure:

While the copied URL from IPFS Desktop often looks like https://ipfs.io/ipfs/Qm..., the fundamental IPFS link is based on the Content Identifier (CID), which can be represented as ipfs://Qm....

For more in-depth information on hosting websites or specific content types on IPFS, you can explore resources on the official IPFS documentation.