Storing Data Forever on the Blockchain Using Arweave

Over the years I’ve dabbled a little bit testing out crypto related technologies. Specifically the concept of the blockchain with a public and decentralized ledger was interesting. The thought of this technology making it possible to save data in a way that could be permanent and persist outside of a centralized walled garden was very intriguing to me.

I currently host my websites using a provider and the data storage is centralized on their servers. I recently registered krynsky.eth and have begun doing research on being able to create a website that could be hosted using decentralized data using IPFS on the blockchain. I’m in the early stages of researching this but it piqued my interest about methods to try and guarantee that the data we create on the web can be permanent.

So purpose built block chains for data storage like the previously mentioned IPFS are great but weren’t built to ensure permanent archives of data. Then I learned about Arweave by listening to an interview with its founder Sam Williams on the Modern Finance podcast. Arweave describes itself as “a new type of storage that backs data with sustainable and perpetual endowments, allowing users and developers to truly store data forever — for the very first time.”

So the thought is that by using Arweave for data storage you could ensure your data lives 200+ years on the “permaweb”. Sam explains how this is achieved using a custom blockchain powered by an endowment structure that uses a monetary token and community to maintain it. It’s a very interesting concept that he explains with great detail on the podcast.

The concept sounds great and I plan on continuing to follow this and learn more to see if I can utilize it for hosting a website in the future. You can learn more by visiting the Arweave website. They are currently providing a way for you to claim a token which I completed so you can begin experimenting with the technology.

After I claimed my token I took a look at several projects they have listed built around Arweave technology to provide inspiration. There’s a few interesting ones but the one that struck a chord with me was the Crypted Memoirs project which gives you the ability to “Save your memoirs on the Arweave blockchain publicly or privately, saving for yourself, or sending to others.” This project is directly related to digital legacy and is a good example for utlizing permaweb technology.

When we think of digital legacy and preserving our data for future generations we need to think about 200+ years into the future and this is one of the first technologies that provides a path to get there. It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to following Arweave’s progress moving forward.

Originally published at https://digitallegacymanagement.com.