The internet has come a long way since its inception, with websites becoming an integral part of our daily lives. However, the traditional method of web hosting has remained centralized, with websites residing on servers owned and controlled by a few companies.
In recent years, decentralization has gained popularity as a way to improve the security, privacy, and availability of online services. With the advent of blockchain technology, decentralized web hosting, often known as web3, has become a viable alternative.
The global blockchain market for Web3 was $1.73 billion in 2022. It is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 47.1% from 2023 to 2030. Demand for decentralized identity in Web3 and improvements in internet technology are driving the growth of privacy.
Decentralized web hosting has several advantages over traditional web hosting. It makes websites less vulnerable to attacks and censorship as there is no central point of failure. It also improves the privacy of website owners and visitors as data is spread across multiple nodes.
Let us guide you through hosting a decentralized website and the tools and platforms available to make the process easier. But before we dive deeper, let us know what decentralized web hosting is.
Understand decentralized web hosting
Decentralized web hosting refers to hosting websites and online content without relying on centralized servers or infrastructure. With traditional web hosting, websites are stored on servers owned and managed by a few companies. However, with decentralized hosting, data is stored on a network of distributed computers called nodes that work together to deliver the content.
A popular approach to decentralized web hosting is to use blockchain technology, which provides a secure and transparent way to store and share data. Content is stored in a peer-to-peer network where each user is a node and each node contributes processing power and storage space to the network.
Decentralized hosting is crucial as it marks a major shift in the Web3 where websites and online applications are hosted and used. Decentralized web hosting ensures increased security, redundancy and resistance to censorship.
This is achieved through the use of peer-to-peer networks, blockchain technologies, and other distribution methods that ensure website files remain accessible even in the event of network outages or disruptions. Since there is no single point of failure, the possibility of server failure or data loss from cyber attacks is significantly reduced.
Why is decentralized web hosting development necessary?
The centralization of the internet has raised concerns about privacy, security and censorship. A centralized system relies on a single point of control, making it vulnerable to hacking, surveillance, and tampering. Also, power rested essentially with a few giant corporations. They used to have direct control over all data.
Decentralized web hosting, also known as peer-to-peer web hosting, allows users to host their websites on a network of computers instead of a single server. This approach eliminates the need for a central authority or hosting provider as every node on the network contributes to the hosting process.
Web3 Hosting Development is committed to enabling freedom of expression without censorship. Everyone is free to express their opinion and make their own decisions. Therefore, the web hosting items cannot be removed or blocked.
One of The main benefit of decentralized web hosting is increased security. Without a central point of control, hackers cannot target a single server to take down a website or steal data. In addition, decentralized web hosting can provide more privacy because data is stored across multiple nodes rather than in a central location.
Another benefit of decentralized web hosting is the potential to reduce censorship. Governments or other bodies cannot quickly shut down a website if it is hosted on a decentralized network. This is particularly important in countries where freedom of expression is restricted or the internet is heavily regulated.
How to host a decentralized website
The idea of decentralized websites is still new but is gaining popularity. Hosting a decentralized website involves using a peer-to-peer network such as IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) to host your website files.
Hosting a decentralized website requires Web3 technologies and tools to create and distribute website files across a network of nodes.
Let’s dive deeper to know more about Web3 hosting:
Build website files with blockchain
Web3 is a collection of technologies and tools that make it possible to build decentralized applications (dApps) on the blockchain. It’s important to understand what is blockchain Technology and how it is used to store and validate data digitally, known as distributed ledger.
To build a website using Web3 tools and technologies, developers can use frameworks to create smart contracts and interact with them using web3.js. Files can be stored in a distributed manner thanks to integration with decentralized storage solutions such as IPFS. Decentralized identity solutions give users more control over their personal information and improve security. By combining these Web3 tools—Developers can create decentralized websites that are more robust, secure, and user-centric.
Choose a domain name
A decentralized website is hosted on a server that is not controlled by a single entity and has a domain name that is also decentralized. This means that the path to your website cannot be taken from you and nobody can destroy the memory.
When choosing a domain name for decentralized web hosting, keep these tips in mind:
- Choose a name that reflects your business
- Keep it short and easy to remember
- Use a top-level domain (TLD) compatible with decentralized web hosting, such as .eth or .crypto
- Make sure the domain name is unique and not already registered by someone else
- Consider buying multiple TLDs to protect your brand and prevent cybersquatting
- Use a decentralized domain registrar or marketplace to securely purchase your domain name
- Test your domain name to ensure it works correctly with your decentralized web hosting solution
Archive data in the network
The next stage is network file storage; Network files must be stored using IPFS or Swarm. To do this, the files must be broken down into smaller parts and distributed over the network. Ensuring files are kept in multiple different locations improves their security and durability.
To store files on the network with decentralized web hosting, you can do the following:
- Choose a decentralized storage solution that suits your needs and requirements
- Install the software required to use the storage solution you have chosen on your computer or server
- Upload your files to the decentralized storage network by adding them to your chosen storage solution
- Make sure your files are properly encrypted and secured before uploading them to the network
- Make sure your files have been uploaded and are accessible via the decentralized storage network
Associate website files with the domain name
Once the website files are stored on the network, the domain name needs to be directed there. This requires creating a DNS (Domain Name System) entry that associates the domain name with the network location of the website files.
Make sure your website files are uploaded to the decentralized storage solution and that they have a unique hash or identifier that you use to associate them with your domain name.
It is important to note that the specific steps will vary depending on the decentralized DNS or name service chosen and the decentralized storage solution used. Some services offer additional features or integrations to make the process easier.
Test your site
Testing your website during decentralized web hosting is essential to ensure that it works as expected and is accessible to users.
After the domain name has been linked to the files, test the website to make sure everything is working properly. Use a browser that supports Web3 to access the website. It is also important to test the website’s functionality, user experience and responsiveness. Extensive testing helps you identify and fix problems before you launch your website.
How does a decentralized website work?
Here are the general steps on how a decentralized website works:
- content creation– The content of the website is created and stored locally on a user’s device.
- Distribution of Content– The user’s device shares the content with other devices on the network using a peer-to-peer protocol such as IPFS (InterPlanetary File System).
- content hosting– Each device that receives the content becomes the host and shares the content with other devices on the network. This creates a decentralized network of hosts that collectively provide the content of the website.
- domain name resolution—To access a decentralized website, users need a domain name. Domain names are typically resolved using a decentralized naming system such as Namecoin or Ethereum Name Service (ENS).
- Website Access—Users access the decentralized website by typing the domain name into a web browser. The browser then uses the decentralized naming system to localize the website’s content on the network of hosts.
Hosting a decentralized website
Create a website where you alone decide whether to remove them or not. If you’ve never used the Web3 browser interface—it takes time to get used to and learn new skills—but it’s well worth the effort. It is crucial to understand the technical side of things, which is very different from what consumers are used to from Web 2 browsers.
