@Walrus 🦭/acc started as an idea to fix an issue with storing things online in Web3. A lot of systems that store files in a decentralized way are either too expensive or really slow when you have files. Walrus wanted to create a system that's fair, with costs is reliable and keeps your data safe so regular people who build things and use the internet can trust it. The Walrus network uses separate storage nodes that work together and these nodes are organized by the Sui blockchain, which means your stuff is still available even if a lot of people disconnect from the internet.
The way Walrus stores data is a change that helps lower the cost. Walrus does not keep a copy of a file on every node, like other systems do. Instead Walrus breaks the file into pieces, which are called slivers and spreads these Walrus slivers across many nodes. Each Walrus sliver is encoded so the full file can be recovered even if some nodes fail. This method of storing Walrus data requires a lot space and bandwidth than keeping full files on every node. The end result is a system that uses five times the original data size, rather than ten or more times, like the older models. This is a thing because it means that builders and users of the system have to pay less money to store the data over time. The system is better because it does not use much space as the older models so builders and users of the system save money on data storage.
The Sui blockchain is really important for keeping costs. Walrus works closely with the Sui blockchain. It uses things called objects and smart contracts. These help Walrus manage payments for storing data and keep track of whether the data's available.
When people upload their data they pay with WAL tokens. The people who help store the data get these tokens. This is like a reward, for keeping the data safe. The smart contracts check that each file is still available. They keep a record of the files status. Any application can check this record later.
This is really useful because it means you do not have to download the file again just to check it is still stored somewhere. The Sui blockchain and Walrus work together to make this happen. The Walrus system uses the Sui blockchain to make storing data more efficient.
Data storage is something that people can check to make sure it is safe and has not been changed. The network does this by having nodes show that they have parts of the file. These nodes have to show codes to prove they have the file parts. If something is wrong with the file parts other nodes can say something is wrong. Then people can fix the problem. This is important, for people who build apps and need to know that the data they are using is really there and okay. Builders need to trust that their data is safe and has not been changed.
The Walrus storage model is really easy to work with. It has tools that're simple to use and it gives you a lot of flexibility. Developers can use the command line and special kits to store and read data in a way that feels familiar. The Walrus system also works with web2 standards. This means that builders do not have to learn a lot of new things when they start using the Walrus storage model for real projects. The Walrus storage model is made to be easy to use.
The cost of something is also affected by Quilt. Quilt is a way to store things. It is really good at handling a lot of files.
Small files used to be expensive to store. This is because each small file had a lot of information that had to be stored too.
Quilt lets us store a bunch of files together at the time. So the total cost and the resources we use go down a lot.
This means we can store a lot kinds of data for a low price. We can store media files. We can also store things like logs and messages and information, about assets. Quilt makes it possible to store these things cheaply.
The use of WAL tokens is not just for making payments. People who have WAL tokens can give them to storage nodes. Get something back as the network gets bigger. This makes people want to help the system. It means we get more nodes that are not controlled by one person, which helps the system keep working and be available when we need it. WAL tokens are really important for making this happen. That is why people are interested, in WAL tokens.
People are actually using Walrus for things now. Some apps that have a lot of media, in them are using Walrus to store files. This way users do not have to rely on companies to store their stuff.
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning tools are also using Walrus. They store the information they need to learn and the models they create on Walrus. This is so people can check that the results are real and honest.
Whole websites and applications can put their assets on Walrus. This means users can get to the content without having to go through someone. Walrus is helping to make this happen.
Looking ahead Walrus’s focus on cost efficiency and verifiability positions it as a backbone for data heavy decentralized systems. As more developers need scalable storage that can be proven onchain the combination of encoding strategies smart contract coordination and batch tools will keep Walrus relevant in a world where data fuels the next generation of Web3 apps.
