Chrome
extensions
are incredibly useful
tools
that customize your browsing experience to better suit your needs. In this article, we'll be delving into an in-depth review of one such tool, the IPFS Companion
Chrome extension
. This highly-rated utility has revolutionized the way users interact with the Internet, garnering a high aggregate rating of 3.93 out of 5, and is considered one of the
top chrome extensions
for power users, web developers, and tech enthusiasts.
A Brief Overview of the IPFS Companion
IPFS Companion is a Chrome extension that leverages the capabilities of a locally running IPFS node, allowing users to utilize the peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol directly within their
browser
. This enables support for ipfs:// addresses, automatic IPFS gateway loading of websites and file paths, and easy IPFS file importing and sharing among other functionalities. IPFS, or the InterPlanetary File System, is designed with the aim of making the web faster, safer, more resilient, and more accessible.
Features that Set IPFS Companion Apart
This browser tool offers a range of features that enhance user experience. These include:
-
Automatic retrieval of sites, files and
resources
stored on IPFS.
-
Enabling
content
-addressed IPFS paths and URIs in your browser and redirecting them to a chosen gateway.
-
Importing and sharing files from your browser to your local IPFS node.
-
Providing gateway info and API status at a glance.
-
Easy access to common IPFS tasks like pinning files and launching the IPFS Web UI dashboard directly from your browser.
User Reviews and Feedback
Like every other tool, IPFS Companion has its strengths and weaknesses. Users have lauded its ability to use IPFS directly from Chrome and praised its seamless functioning. However, some users have complained about it slowing down their browser and using excessive CPU resources. Languages barriers also came out as a major drawback, with some users, notably non-English speakers, experiencing challenges using the tool. Overall, the extension has a high aggregate rating, reflecting its value and importance in the world of web development tools.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, despite some minor drawbacks, the IPFS Companion Chrome extension is a powerful tool for web developers and tech enthusiasts. It offers a unique solution to the issues of browsing speed and safety, and its ability to make the web more resilient and accessible is highly commendable. Its high rating and positive user reviews highlight its effectiveness as a top chrome extension in the world of browser tools.
Whether you're looking to develop websites, enhance your browsing experience, or explore new tech utilities, the IPFS Companion Chrome extension is certainly worth considering.
10 Reviews For This Extension
The extension does what it says...but god knows what else it is doing. When enabled Chrome uses a whole CPU core at all times.
Majorly slowed down my browser to the point that I had to remove it. While I was using it, it was nice. IPFS links worked seamlessly and I could direct it to my local IPFS node
Great way to use IPFS directly from Chrome
Works good
NFT anyone? Ever wondered how they get to be one? Wanna be in on that? From a whole other angle? FB or IPFS? The future of one day that IPFS will be the "digital dirt" that all springs from and all has access to. Who doesn't have 50 GB of hard drive space? they would like 'cloud' accessible? No Matter What? Forever Clout IPFS Desktop version
This browser extension is unreliable at the few sites that try to publish through IPFS, and it misbehaves if sync'd through a profile to a browser instance that isn't backed by the the IPFS Desktop software, like on a Chromebook. The protocol itself is better described as a fancy bittorrent, and not a filesystem, because IPFS doesn't implement basic things like folders and directories, and things like IPNS are way too complex for casual users or samizdat to use safely.
The WebUI is broken and never works
when i updated it from github new version after that it stopted working
Great integration with Brave's implementation
Amazing!