IPFS Weekly 45

Jenn Turner
IPFS Weekly 45
#weekly
Share this item:

# Welcome to the IPFS Weekly. 👋

The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) (opens new window) is a new hypermedia distribution protocol, addressed by content and identity. IPFS enables the creation of completely distributed applications. It aims to make the web faster, safer, and more open. Since that’s a pretty large scope, we track development across the ecosystem in this weekly dispatch.

Looking to get involved? Click on some of the links below, see what we’re up to on GitHub (opens new window), or join us on IRC (opens new window).

Want this update in your inbox? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter! (opens new window)

Here are some of the highlights since the last IPFS Weekly.

# The latest

# go-ipfs 0.4.21 released 🎉

Last week, the go-ipfs team celebrated the release of version 0.4.21 (opens new window), which includes some major bug fixes and new features like experimental TLS1.3 support. Read the full release notes on the IPFS blog.

# 🖥 ipfs-desktop 0.8.0 released

Enjoying the ipfs-desktop experience? Prepare to love it just a little bit more with the release of version 0.8.0 (opens new window). Now featuring the ability to add the command ipfs to your system, as well as support for dark mode. 🙌

# Recapping the July 2018 IPFS Developer Meetings

Did you miss the IPFS and Libp2p developer meeting we held last July? Now you can catch up on all of the project updates, lightning demos and poster sessions held there. Check out the recap on the IPFS blog (opens new window).

# Meet the Community, David Dias @ Protocol Labs

With the first-ever IPFS Camp right around the corner, we’re interviewing some of the community members who are making this highly anticipated event a reality. Visit camp.ipfs.io (opens new window) to learn more about IPFS Camp, scholarships, and what’s included in your conference pass.

# Tell us a bit about yourself and your background. How did you get involved with IPFS and end up joining the team at Protocol Labs?

Hi I’m David (opens new window)!

I joined the IPFS project back in 2015. At the time, I was focused on building a distributed computing network on top of the Web Platform (opens new window). I was heavily inspired by the developments on European Community Networks (opens new window) and with the rise of P2P Browser connectivity using WebRTC and native like performance with ASM.js, bringing the ideas of voluntary resource sharing and fully distributed systems to the Web felt like the right next path.

Through my journey, I found IPFS and it matched exactly a big important piece I would eventually need for my project. I started by jumping in and contributing to build a full JavaScript implementation of the protocol (JS IPFS) (opens new window), and eventually joined Protocol Labs to dedicate 100% of my energy to it.

# Why should people be excited about IPFS?

IPFS is a fundamental building block, a protocol, to create powerful and distributed experiences for humans across the planet-wide nervous system that we call the “Internet”.

Before IPFS, developing a P2P application implied having years of experience building networking applications, going deep on technical protocols and fighting complexity at every step on the way. Building with Centralized Infrastructure had exactly if not even more complex hurdles, then HTTP and all the conventions on how to build Web Applications came along and now, everything is so much more simple. HTTP was instrumental in powering multiple waves of applications and services over the last 2 decades. IPFS will do the same for the DWeb (Distributed Web).

# What projects are really exciting you in the IPFS Ecosystem at the moment and why?

All of them? Ahaha but seriously, it’s pretty much impossible to do a fair selection when there are so many exciting projects appearing every week. We actually created a community driven repo so that folks can share when they discover or create something awesome using IPFS - you can find the current list at awesome.ipfs.tech (opens new window). Also, there is www.app.co/ipfs (opens new window) that is maintained by Blockstack. Both are worth checking out.

Just a few that come top of my mind are:

  • DTube (https://d.tube), a video distribution and monetization platform for the DWeb.
  • Tally Lab (https://tallylab.com), a diary application for all the “Quantified Self” enthusiasts or Researchers that need a way to track data without compromising privacy and ownership.
  • QRI (https://qri.io), one of the most exciting projects for data scientists out there. QRI offers a way to version and collaborate on distributed datasets.
  • Orion (https://orion.siderus.io), a friendly IPFS Desktop client that enables everyone to use IPFS in their personal machines with a graphical user interface.
  • Textile (https://www.textile.photos), a photo sharing application that is powered by an open DApp building toolkit, also built by Textile.
  • DSound (https://dsound.audio), an audio distribution and monetization platform for the DWeb
  • OpenBazaar (https://openbazaar.org), a P2P marketplace that puts the users and the customers in control of their experience.
  • Decentraland (https://decentraland.org/), a virtual world where you can buy and sell land where you can then build your own experiences for others.

# Without giving too much away what should folks expect from IPFS Camp?

Lazers and Space Travel! I meant it! 😁 IPFS Camp will be an event focused on knowledge sharing and collaborative thinking to onboard new and current DWeb builders, and set up the community to overcome the next challenges in making the Web fully Distributed.

You can expect Workshops, small group Protocol design sessions and of course, myriad talks from the community sharing the latest and greatest on the DWeb space.

# IPFS in the wild

Do you follow IPFS on Twitter (opens new window)? For the latest mentions of IPFS in the news, check our Twitter feed or see the latest articles on Awesome IPFS (opens new window).

# Updates and new releases

See the latest releases of IPFS tools and projects across the ecosystem.

# Tools and projects we ❤️

Awesome IPFS (opens new window) is a community maintained and updated list of projects, tools, or pretty much any things related to IPFS that are totally awesome. To see more, or add yours to the list, visit Awesome IPFS on GitHub (opens new window).

# Coming up in the Community

Did you know IPFS has a community forum at discuss.ipfs.tech (opens new window)? Sign up to participate in discussions about coding, tutorials, see announcements and learn about upcoming community events.

# Thanks for reading ☺️

That’s it for this week’s news on all things IPFS. If we missed something, send us an email and let us know! That way we can feature you in next week’s edition.