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Comment by progval | Hacker News Reader

IPFS does not work in the browser yet.

It surely does, take a look at js-ipfs for full in-browser node (https://github.com/ipfs/js-ipfs) and also js-ipfs-api for communicating with existing go-ipfs/js-ipfs nodes (https://github.com/ipfs/js-ipfs-api)

Disclaimer: I work at Protocol Labs on IPFS

Does this mean you can actually connect to the real ipfs network from a browser without connecting to a gateway like ipfs.io?

that, you cannot

Do you now for certain?

Because both the parent post and the repo seems to indicate otherwise and the only reason I ask is because that sounds a little to amazing.

No, the person does not know it for certain. You're correct that it does connect to "the real ipfs network". And you're right that it is amazing!

Thanks for clarifying!

And thanks for working on this project!

Yes, you can. Please try to make sure the information you write is correct. Quick look at the repository I linked above would have made this clear.

What part of the repository says this? I'm having trouble imaginging how it would work, unless the mainstream IPFS network now supports WebRTC?

Looking at the readme, I noticed our examples our not as featured as I thought so sorry for the harshness. But following the link to the examples, leads to a example called "Tutorial - Transfer files between the browser and other IPFS nodes" which explains how you can connect a js-ipfs node with other nodes, like go-ipfs that runs on desktop. Link: https://github.com/ipfs/js-ipfs/tree/master/examples/exchang...

go-ipfs, which I guess you refer to with the mainstream network, has support for websockets which the browser nodes has support for as well, so they can interop.

IPFS can work in the browser via sharing over WebRTC but not UDP/TCP.

So it is not great, but does work. WebTorrent is also WebRTC fyi.

The tech isn't quite there yet, but eventually yes everyone's machine could be a CDN of sorts.

D.tube works just fine:

https://d.tube/

D.tube makes the browser download from a gateway (ipfs.io) using HTTP.

You can set it to connect to your own gateway.

Doesn't change the fact that your browser doesn't connect to the ipfs network

That's true! But nothing is stopping them from putting in js-ipfs into dtube and leveraging everyone who is watching the videos to help host them as well.

also, i believe d.tube uses cryptocurrencies to incentivize participation.

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