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They both seems to store files in a decentralized network. So what's the difference between them in terms of data structure and algorithms they use? And also what's the difference between them in terms of use cases?

If I store a file in IPFS or Filecoin, will it remain there forever or it may get lost?

Narayan Prusty
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is not about programming. You should try to ask this on https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/ – Vadim Kotov Dec 13 '17 at 14:18
  • If no node is hosting the content, then the content is lost, even though the link (CID) may still exist. – user938363 Dec 04 '19 at 21:55
  • @vadim kotov surely that site would also close it as off topic as it’s not about bitcoin. What’s funny is right now this is closed as not about programming but 6 years from now when platforms are built on these tech just as today we build on tech like AWS, questions like this will be common place here. I don’t think a question about “what’s the difference between AWS and Firebase” would get closed here... why “difference between IPFS and FIL”? – Albert Renshaw Feb 14 '21 at 03:00

1 Answers1

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IPFS does storage and content-based addressing. Filecoin is just a way to incentivize people to store IPFS content.

So it's not really easy to tell the difference because they are not comparable. Filecoin just works on top of IPFS.

q9f
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    Does there exist a public decentralized ipfs network that people can use to store data? Or is that what Filecoin is trying to accomplish? – RagHaven Jan 16 '18 at 06:56
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    The question is closed so I can’t add a new answer but IIRC IPFS is not permanent as your data may simply get dropped over time, FIL allows you to pay to keep its permanence through a decentralized bidding system with built in checks to ensure the data is still on each node you paid for as those nodes wish to continue to operate and/or mine – Albert Renshaw Feb 14 '21 at 03:02
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    It is also worth adding, to my great surprise, that Filecoins IPFS network does not co-exist with vanilla IPFS network. I think it's because Filecoin you pay to view or host. – Mauvis Ledford Jun 22 '21 at 19:56