contentaddressabletallennuksista

Content-addressable storage is a data storage paradigm where data is retrieved based on its content rather than its location. Instead of referring to a file by its name or path, content-addressable storage uses a unique identifier derived from the data itself, typically a cryptographic hash. This hash serves as the address for the data.

When data is stored in a content-addressable system, its hash is calculated. This hash then becomes the key under which the data is stored. To retrieve the data, one simply provides the hash. The system then computes the hash of the requested content and, if it matches the provided hash, returns the corresponding data.

This approach offers several advantages. Data deduplication is inherent, as identical content will always generate the same hash, meaning only one copy needs to be stored. This saves storage space and improves efficiency. Content integrity is also guaranteed; if the data is tampered with, its hash will change, making it impossible to retrieve with the original hash. This is valuable for ensuring data authenticity and detecting corruption.

Content-addressable storage is foundational to technologies like Git, IPFS (InterPlanetary File System), and blockchain systems. It enables efficient data sharing, version control, and distributed file systems where data availability is maintained through its content rather than reliance on a central server. The immutability of content once stored is a key feature, as changing the content would necessitate a new address.