README.md

Persssist

Storage web application running on top of Rinkeby testnet that uses IPFS protocol for storing files in an open and decentralized way.

How it works

Architecture

This is a dApp or decentralized application with a simple frontend connected with a set of backend services composed by a Smart Contract deployed to Rinkeby testnet and a storage service using IPFS.

The Smart Contract role is to store basic information about the users and files stored in the app.

IPFS is a P2P API for storing files in a decentralized way, where each client work as a node for persisting files. Learn more

Stack

• Solidity for Smart Contract development on Ethereum.
• Truffle Suite for local infrastructure and SC deployment.
• Ganache as a local development blockchain.
• Metamask for in-browser user authentication.
• React.js (Next.js Framework).
• Mocha/Chai for Smart Contract testing
• Tailwind CSS for styling components.
• Ant UI framework for prebuilt UI components.
• Github Actions for CI and automated tests.
• Vercel for CD and Frontend hosting.

Basic Process

1. The users connect their account to Metamask after pressing Connect button (the app attempts to do this automatically if there is an existing account logged in in Metamask).
2. Once there is a connected account in the app, the app enables the button for start uploading files on the Upload section.
3. Once you uploaded your first file, you will be able to see the result in the Files section (Below the upload section).

Running locally

Configuring the app

First, configure .env file for blockchain configuration

INFURA_PROJECT_ID = <Your Infura Project ID>
PRIVATE_KEY = <Your Infura private key>
ACCOUNT_ADDRESS = <Your Account Address>

Then, configure .env.local file for frontend application.

NEXT_PUBLIC_MODE = <PROD | DEV (depending of your environment)>
NEXT_PUBLIC_CONTRACT = <Address of the smart contract>

Smart contract migration and deployment

In case you want to run locally for development, run a local blockchain using Ganache.

First, initialize truffle project on the repo.

truffle init

Then migrate smart contracts to ganache or any other network (see truffle-config.js for configuring networks).

In case you're running Ganache.

truffle migrate --network development

In case you prefer to debug against a deployed Smart Contract on rinkeby.

truffle migrate --network rinkeby

Running frontend application

Then, run the development server:

npm run dev
# or
yarn dev

Open http://localhost:3000 with your browser to see the result.