Apillon Platform Closed Beta walk-through - Web3 Storage

The Apillon Platform Closed Beta is live and inviting participants to share feedback. Learn more about the Web3 Storage service, test, suggest, and help us improve.

Apillon Closed Beta gives you an opportunity to try and test the platform's Web3 services while still in the development phase. As we strive to deliver only the best features to the developer community, we invite registered users to share feedback and suggestions on what could be done better or differently. Every opinion counts.

In this walk-through post, we take you from registration to advantage of Web3 Storage, one of the services available in Apillon Closed Beta.

But first, there are some things you should keep in mind.

Good to know

In its current state, Apillon is a Web3 hybrid platform, and certain services are still being run by centralized providers to ensure fast development and optimal UI. However, the platform's back end is designed to gradually progress towards a fully Web3 infrastructure, and newer versions will deliver more decentralized services.

You should also understand that Apillon Closed Beta delivers no guarantees, either regarding functionalities or access, as it is intended for testing purposes only. Beta features are also limited in some aspects and will become more accessible as the platform evolves.

Now, let's begin.

Account log in and access code

To participate in the Apillon Closed Beta and test its features, go to http://app.apillon.io/ and create an account. If you already have one, simply log in.

At the bottom of the intro page, you will find a Closed Beta code you need to access Closed Beta functionalities. Copy and paste it to our closed-beta channel on Apillon Discord. Soon after, you should receive an email invitation to Closed Beta with access to Apillon Web3 services.

☝️ Note: We will be rolling out invites gradually, so it might take a day or two before you receive your invite.

Once your access is granted, you can proceed to starting your first Web3 project with Apillon.

Create a Web3 project

In the top left corner of the screen, click Add new project, set your project name and description in the pop-up window, and click Create new project.

Once created, you can check more details under Project overview in the menu on the left.

Now, it's time to try and test Web3 services.

In the Closed Beta, you can attach Web3 Storage and Web3 Hosting service. Let's dive in.

Web3 Storage

Apillon Web3 Storage is a Web3-based storage service that allows you to increase the accessibility of your files (or that of your website or app) as they are stored on a decentralized network of nodes around the globe.

Underlying technologies

Apillon Web3 Storage implements AWS S3 as cache to optimize upload of large files, IPFS, and Crust Network to pin files on multiple IPFS nodes.

IPFS
When you upload a file to IPFS, it gets split into smaller chunks and cryptographically hashed. It also receives a unique fingerprint called a content identifier (CID), which acts as a permanent record of your file as it is at that point in time.

Crust Network
Crust Network is a decentralized cloud storage provider on Polkadot. It supports multiple storage-layer protocols such as IPFS, and delivers instantly accessible on-chain storage functions. Crustʼs technical stack also supports data manipulating and computing.

Storage bucket
For more dynamic use of decentralized storage and Web3 development, Apillon introduces the concept of storage buckets. To start using Web3 Storage, you should first create a new bucket.

Web3 file storage process

Now, with theory out of the way, it's time to get hands dirty.

Here is what happens to your files when you store them decentrally with Apillon:

Files land on a reputable centralized cloud provider to ensure fast file capture.
Once received, they proceed to the decentralized Apillon IPFS gateway, where Crust starts pinning and replicating them.
Once the files become accessible on IPFS, Crust spreads them through multiple IPFS nodes globally, ensuring their decentralized accessibility.

Create a storage bucket
To begin, you should first create a storage bucket. Navigate to the menu on the left, and under Services, click Storage, and then New bucket.

In the pop-up window, set the name and description for the bucket. In Closed Beta, only buckets of 5GB storage space are available. Click Create bucket & continue to management.

Once your storage bucket is ready, it allows you to store files from either the Apillon dashboard or the API endpoints.

Upload files
Now, you can add files and folders with a simple click or drag and drop.

Choose your file, confirm its upload in the pop-up, and click Refresh to update the file list below.

On the file list, you can see details, such as File CID, Download link, File size, and Content type. Under Actions, you can also mark your files for deletion to free up your storage bucket space (see more below).

Once your file is uploaded successfully and appears on the list, you can copy its IPFS-based URL and paste it into a new browser tab. Your file should appear under that URL, meaning it's now successfully stored on a decentralized IPFS network of nodes via Crust.

Upload folders
You can also use Web3 storage to upload a folder, for example, containing your website files. The IPFS-based link that you find on the Apillon storage bucket list should lead to your decentrally stored website files.

Create directory
For faster management and easier navigation, you can also create file directories. Click Create directory on the right of the dashboard, set its name and description, and organize your files.

File deletion

To better understand file deletion with Apillon Web3 Storage, you should be aware that the storage lease for every file on IPFS that passes through Crust's pinning and replication service is paid upfront for a minimum of 6 months, which is out of Apillon's control. This means that all files that you upload to Apillon Web3 storage buckets will remain accessible for that long.

File marked for deletion
If you decide to delete a file before the expiration of the 6-month storage lease on Crust, the file is marked for deletion. Doing that, the storage lease will not be extended, and once the storage lease is up, your file will be deleted from all IPFS instances, and the storage load of deleted files in your storage bucked will be emptied, so you can upload new files.

3-month deletion period
Web3 Storage lease period by Crust lasts 6 months. However, to deliver a better experience to our users, Apillon artificially lowers the deletion period to 3 months. This way, you can continue uploading new files faster and update your Web3 storage contents more frequently.

☝️ Note: These limitations only come with the Apillon Closed Beta, which is intended for testing. Once the Beta period is up, Apillon Web3 services will have limitations adjusted to more realistic production requirements.

Share your feedback

Now that you understand how to navigate Apillon Closed Beta and its Web3 Storage, feel free to test it in all kinds of scenarios.

We're looking forward to hearing about your experience with the Apillon platform and what features would you need most in your work.

Join us in Apillon Discord, and in the closed-beta channel, share your thoughts and feedback, so we can improve the platform and accelerate Web3 adoption for all developers regardless of background.

We'll see you on the other side!