Leveraging Use Cases of NFTs: Storing and Managing Metadata with IPFS and 4EVERLAND

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4EVERLAND

7 min readJun 10, 2024

What are Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)?

In the realm of blockchain and cryptocurrency, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have emerged as the quintessential representation of digital ownership and creativity. NFTs are assets tokenized through blockchain, characterized by unique identifying codes generated from metadata using cryptographic functions. These tokens are then stored on the blockchain, while the assets themselves are stored elsewhere. The inherent link between the tokens and assets renders them distinct and incomparable. Each Non-Fungible Token possesses unique attributes, proving its scarcity and often utilized to validate ownership of specific digital assets, ranging from artwork and music to various forms of digital content.

Cryptocurrencies also operate through tokens; however, the key distinction lies in the fact that two cryptocurrencies from the same blockchain are interchangeable — they are fungible. In contrast, two NFTs from the same blockchain may appear identical but remain non-interchangeable.

Detailed description:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdkkux6OxfM&t=75s

Storing NFT Metadata using IPFS

IPFS is exceptionally well-suited for storing and managing the data of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is a decentralized peer-to-peer file-sharing network that has transformed the handling of NFT metadata. It serves as a safeguard for NFT files and guards against issues linked to centralized platforms. Therefore, for NFT developers, opting to store their digital assets on IPFS and leveraging Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) as file references can yield significant advantages.

Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) are employed to specify particular content within a given context. The context is determined by the URI scheme, which is affixed as a prefix to the URI followed by a double slash (://). IPFS utilizes a straightforward URI scheme, namely ipfs.

Here is an example of a complete IPFS URI: ipfs://Qmcnz5HGgGgJHZqnhGj1PhjgJzHUYZ8Sxs2h4rHkmQ8xRK

Most NFTs necessitate some form of structured metadata to depict the fundamental attributes of the tokens. Various encoding and data formats can be utilized, but the de facto standard involves storing metadata as a JSON object, encoded into a UTF-8 byte string.

Below is an example of JSON metadata for NFTs:

As depicted in the illustration, connecting to images, videos, and other media can be achieved by simply utilizing the IPFS URI. This proves more advantageous compared to storing HTTP gateway URLs, as it eliminates the dependency on any particular gateway provider.

How 4EVERLAND Bucket Helps

4EVERLAND’s IPFS Bucket is a storage file system that provides a convenient and efficient way to upload, pin, and fetch files on IPFS. It is designed to be easy to use, with simple interfaces that make it accessible to both non-technical and technical users.

Developers can achieve reliable storage of NFT metadata on the IPFS network through simple operations, with the following characteristics:

Enhancing Sustainability

When utilizing the IPFS network, users typically retrieve data from any IPFS node that holds a copy, leading to more efficient data transmission and reduced strain on any single server. However, the majority of NFTs may initially be stored on a single IPFS node or a few nodes, leading to poor accessibility of NFT metadata. Additionally, there is a risk that these NFTs may become inaccessible if nodes are closed or experience failures.

4EVERLAND, as an important Pinning Service provider within the IPFS ecosystem, has established a globally distributed cluster network of IPFS nodes. Each piece of data is persistently stored across IPFS nodes worldwide, with the stored data continuously subjected to storage proofs to ensure redundancy and high availability. This approach enhances the sustainability and accessibility of the data.

Perma IPFS — Permanent Accessibility

Perma IPFS is a solution launched by 4EVERLAND that offers NFT users the ability to achieve one-time payment for permanent IPFS storage. It is common knowledge that IPFS storage does not guarantee data permanence, requiring continuous payments to ensure at least one node in the entire IPFS network will permanently PIN your data. Consequently, most IPFS storage service providers, including 4EVERLAND, adopt a time-based pricing model. When you cease continuous payment for IPFS data storage, your NFT data will be deleted, potentially rendering it inaccessible.

This approach may not be suitable for NFTs, as all NFT metadata should exist permanently, akin to smart contracts, and be permanently accessible. 4EVERLAND has innovatively leveraged Arweave’s permanent storage features to offer a solution for users needing to utilize IPFS while preserving data long-term. Users can opt to synchronize specific data through Buckets to Arweave, each data piece tagged with an IPFS CID and permanently existing on the Arweave network. Anyone can retrieve and recover the data anytime via the IPFS CID on the Arweave network. The 4EVERLAND network also ensures real-time data status updates to guarantee the data’s permanent accessibility on the IPFS network.

Ease of Use

4EVERLAND’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive tutorials enable users to effortlessly store content to IPFS, expediting the development and deployment processes with minimal effort.

Compatibility with AWS S3 API

By providing compatibility with the AWS S3 API, 4EVERLAND Bucket enables users to seamlessly interact with their Buckets using existing mature development methods and tools. Users can utilize any S3-supported SDK, CLI, or tools to efficiently upload and store data to the IPFS network.

Free Storage and Additional Services

4EVERLAND Bucket users can also enjoy additional benefits, such as 6GB of free IPFS storage space, a monthly 100GB free global acceleration gateway, as well as various free resources and trial features.

More Information

For detailed recommendations on using 4EVERLAND Bucket Service, please visit this link.

Utilize 4EVERLAND Bucket to Configure Metadata for Your NFT

Typically, when creating an NFT using the mintNFT smart contract function, we employ the tokenURI parameter, which should resolve to a JSON document describing the metadata of the non-fungible token (NFT). It is through this parameter that non-fungible tokens are generated and endowed with configurable attributes such as name, description, image, and other properties.

By leveraging 4EVERLAND, you will have the ability to easily utilize the IPFS program interface within a visual interface for storing our non-fungible token assets and metadata, ensuring the decentralization of our NFTs. Initially, you may need to click here to register for a free account.

Upon creating an account:

Log in to the Dashboard and select “Bucket.”
On the right side, choose to create a Bucket, then click “Upload.”
Upload your image to 4EVERLAND — this will serve as the image asset for your non-fungible token.
Once the upload is complete, you will receive the file’s CID, which you can copy by clicking the copy button. Concurrently, you can view the information you uploaded via the public gateway: https://.ipfs.4everland.io/.

To gain a deeper understanding of this process, you may refer to the tutorial provided by 4EVERLAND on this topic: https://docs.4everland.org/storage/bucket/guides.

Now, you will need to upload another file to 4EVERLAND, namely the NFT Metadata file! Within your root directory, create a new file named nft-metadata.json and input the following JSON code:

{
        "description": "FirstLanding NFT is 4EVERLAND FirstLanding event special and exclusive Logo, which is also the first serie of 4EVERLAND NFTs. The owners could enjoy the exclusive benefits 4EVERLAND offers. 4EVERLAND is a Web3.0 cloud computing platform with global acceleration, privacy protection, distributed storage and other technical features.", 
        "image": "ipfs://Qmcnz5HGgGgJHZqnhGj1PhjgJzHUYZ8Sxs2h4rHkmQ8xRK", 
        "name": "FirstLanding"
}

Please feel free to modify the data in the JSON as you wish. You can remove or add the properties section. Most importantly, ensure that the image field points to the location of your Interplanetary File System image.

After editing the JSON file, save it and upload it to 4EVERLAND following the same steps as uploading an image. Save the hash address and fill it into the mintNFT parameter in your mint-nft.js code. It should appear like this:

mintNFT("ipfs://QmXhpaPDhGi3uzrnkwuWEa6GsGtTK9gmEJ9HZBMEpfHxya")

Using mint-nft.js, you have the ability to mint a limitless quantity of non-fungible tokens on demand! Simply ensure that you input a new tokenURI to describe the metadata of the non-fungible token. Otherwise, you will end up creating a collection of identical tokenURIs but with different IDs.

To View NFT Metadata:

After completing the minting and listing of NFTs, there exist numerous platforms accessible for individuals to authenticate their NFT metadata. Beyond blockchain explorers, users can readily examine the metadata of their chosen NFTs via NFT marketplaces like Opensea.

Navigate to Opensea.io in a web browser.
Enter the name of the NFT project and click on the project name link (ensure to click on a verified collection link, indicated by a blue checkmark).
Click on the specific NFT asset you wish to view the metadata for.
Scroll down and click on “Details”.
Click on the Token ID.

For example, if you are looking at the 4EVERLAND FirstLanding NFT with Token ID “0”, you can access the metadata by following the hyperlink associated with this Token ID on Opensea.