Building on Protocol Labs: Our Technology Stack Explained

The Protocol Labs Ecosystem

Almost nothing in the storage layer is ours. This post is the inventory: what each Protocol Labs component does here, and which of them the platform would still work without.

IPFS: Content Addressed Storage

At the core of Ekayana is IPFS (InterPlanetary File System), which provides:

• Content addressing: Every file is identified by its cryptographic hash
• Deduplication: Identical content is stored only once
• Distributed storage: Data is replicated across multiple nodes
• Tamper evidence: Any modification changes the content identifier

// Upload to IPFS - multipart form, no SDK involved
const body = new FormData();
body.append('file', file);

const res = await fetch('https://api.ekayana.com/api/upload', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` },
  body,
});

const { cid } = await res.json();
// The CID also comes back in the X-CID response header.

Filecoin: Verifiable Long Term Storage

While IPFS provides the addressing and distribution layer, Filecoin ensures long term persistence:

• Cryptographic proofs: Storage providers prove they're storing your data
• Economic incentives: Providers are paid to maintain data availability
• Redundancy: Multiple copies across independent providers

libp2p: Peer-to-Peer Networking

libp2p powers the networking layer:

• NAT traversal: Connect peers behind firewalls
• Multiple transports: TCP, WebSockets, WebRTC
• Encrypted connections: All traffic is encrypted by default
• Peer discovery: Find and connect to relevant nodes

UCAN: Decentralized Authorization

User Controlled Authorization Networks enable:

• Offline verification: No server needed to check permissions
• Delegation chains: Pass permissions without central authority
• Fine grained control: Precise capability definitions

Saturn: Global CDN

Saturn provides fast content delivery:

• Edge caching: Content served from nearby nodes
• Verifiable retrieval: Cryptographic proof of correct delivery
• Incentivized network: Node operators earn for serving content

Architecture Diagram

Why This Stack?

• No single point of failure: Decentralized by design
• Verifiable integrity: Cryptographic guarantees at every layer
• Open standards: Built on W3C and IETF specifications
• Active development: Backed by Protocol Labs and community

Learn more in our Protocol Labs Integration documentation.