IPLD is the data model of the content-addressable web. It allows us to treat all hash-linked data structures as subsets of a unified information space, unifying all data models that link data with hashes as instances of IPLD.
A data model for interoperable protocols.
Content addressing through hashes has become a widely-used means of connecting data in distributed systems, from the blockchains that run your favorite cryptocurrencies, to the commits that back your code, to the web’s content at large. Yet, whilst all of these tools rely on some common primitives, their specific underlying data structures are not interoperable.
Enter IPLD: IPLD is a single namespace for all hash-inspired protocols. Through IPLD, links can be traversed across protocols, allowing you to explore data regardless of the underlying protocol.
The sky’s the limit as IPLD allows you to work across protocol boundaries. The point is that IPLD provides libraries that make the underlying data interoperable across tools and across protocols by default.
Reference your latest commits in a git branch to a bitcoin transaction to timestamp your work. By linking your git commit, you can view the commit from your blockchain explorer.
Have your next contract refer to media on IPFS, perhaps modifying it and tracking its changes on each function execution. Seamlessly jump from function to object through IPLD addressing.
A self-contained descriptive model that uniquely identifies any hash-based data structure and ensures the same logical object always maps to the exact same sequence of bits.
IPLD brings isolated systems together, making integration with existing protocols simple.
With Multiformats support, IPLD is easily upgradeable and will grow with your favorite protocols.
Express your IPLD objects in various serializable formats like JSON, CBOR, YAML, XML and many more, making IPLD a cinch to use with any framework.
Non-intrusive resolvers make IPLD easy to integrate within your existing work.
IPLD allows you to explore data across protocols seamlessly, binding hash-based data structures together through a common namespace.
IPLD is an open source project from the IPFS community. There are many ways you can contribute by getting involved. Learn more about IPLD from the community.
