- The latest desktop versions of Brave Web Browser support the IPFS protocol.
- The protocol allows websites to be accessed and served from multiple distributed nodes, not central servers.
- Support for Android apps is currently in progress.
The focus on privacy and security has made Brave Web Browser one of the more exciting browser offerings in recent years. More recently, solving the tracking problems of the internet and developing a novel way for visitors to fund websites without intrusive advertisements has also been a crack. Now the browser is driving the ambition to decentralize the web.
Brave has accepted support (via The edge) for the IPFS protocol in version 1.19. Unlike HTTPS, which contacts a central server, IPFS allows the browser to collect data from multiple nodes. Not only does this give websites more resilience in the event of a major service outage or censorship issues, but it also gives hosting giants performance.
Recognition: Andy Walker / Android Authority
While IPFS offers a new way of understanding the web, it doesn’t change the way we use it. Instead of typing http: // in the browser’s address bar, users can type ipfs: // or ipns: // to access these websites. That’s a little thing to keep in mind when considering the potential benefits. You can also load Vincent van Gogh’s Wikipedia page via IPFS by following this link.
This is a first version of the technology for Brave, so expect some issues. IPFS unveiled a long roadmap of features and tweaks, including web apps, improved resource management, and rolling out IPFS support to Brave’s Android browser.
For now, you can test IPFS on the desktop versions of Brave. Get the latest version of the browser for Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.
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