Most Web3 conversations focus on smart contracts, chains, and transactions, but the reality of building real products is more complicated than that. Once an application starts getting regular users, the pressure shifts to everything around the blockchain. Pages need to load quickly, content needs to stay available, and users expect the same reliability they get from traditional apps. This is where offchain data quietly becomes a central part of the experience.
Walrus is designed to support that offchain layer. It is a decentralized storage protocol that developers use to store data that cannot realistically live onchain, such as NFT metadata, images, videos, and application files. This data might not be part of the transaction itself, but without it, many Web3 applications simply stop working in a meaningful way.
What makes Walrus important is how it fits into the natural growth of Web3 products. Early on, teams can rely on simple storage setups, but as usage grows, centralized solutions start to introduce risks. Downtime, broken links, or lost data quickly translate into lost user trust. Walrus offers a decentralized approach that aligns better with the principles Web3 applications are built on, while still focusing on practical reliability.
As more applications move from testing to long-term operation, storage stops being an afterthought and becomes infrastructure. Walrus exists to support that transition, helping developers keep data accessible and applications usable as demand increases.
