Brave (browser)

2021: Support of the IPFS protocol

In the middle of January, 2021 in the new version of the Brave browser focused on users for whom the privacy in Network is necessary support of the decentralized protocol of data storage InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) appeared. The innovation is focused on fundamental change of functioning of the Internet.

The file system for the decentralized content of IPFS provided in 2015 allows to store data on thousands of systems which can act as public gateways or private points. To get data access, the user needs to enter the URL address in the ipfs format://{contenthashID}. According to Brave, for work with IPFS users do not need third-party applications, however meanwhile the quantity of the resources supporting IPFS is limited.

The Brave browser entered support of the IPFS protocol

IPFS is important for a blockchain and for the self-described databases, - the technical director and the cofounder of Brave Brian Bondi in the e-mail to CoinDesk told. - Earlier browsed content can be available even in a standalone mode using IPFS. The IPFS network provides access to content even if it was subjected to censorship by corporations and national states, including Wikipedia.

Brave developers note that emergence of IPFS gives to users an opportunity to get "deeper experience" due to access to additional content through IPFS. Brave also claims that support to the decentralized storage area network will allow to reduce costs for support of servers to suppliers of content.

As of the middle of January, 2021 around the world there are more than 4 thousand participants of IPFS, and Brave use 24 million people - in the company hope that the audience of the browser will allow to expand a scope of IPFS.^[1]

2020: A release of the version with function of viewing remote pages

At the end of February, 2020 the release of the Brave browser which allows to browse remote or unavailable web pages took place. For this purpose the program is connected to Archive of the Internet (Internet Archive).

The archive collects copies  of web pages, graphic materials, video and audio recordings and  the software. This non-profit organization provides long-term archiving of collected material and free access to the databases for general public. The declared purpose of Archive is preserving of cultural historical values of a civilization during an era of Internet technologies, creation and support  of a digital library.

The web browser showing remote pages is released

Brave, using Archive of the Internet, independently defines web pages, are unavailable by the following errors: 404, 408, 410, 451, 500, 502, 503, 504, 509, 520, 521, 523, 524, 525, 526. The browser automatically finds the last created copy of the unavailable document. Near an error code the user will see the offer to pass to the last saved copy of the Internet page.

The functionality allowing to open one click already remote or moved web pages is available also in browsers Safari, Chrome and Firefox, but only by means of additional plug-ins.

This function is built in the desktop version of the Brave 1.4 browser. The browser also rewards users the token of Basic Attention Token for viewing advertisements. The token was created by the former CEO of Mozilla and the founder of JavaScript Brendan Eich.

By the end of February, 2020 thanks to Internet Archive more than 900 billion URL addresses and more than 400 billion web pages were archived. And this archive is replenished every day with hundreds of millions of new archived URL addresses. Thus, this storage, most likely, has archive versions of the majority of the "absent" pages which the user can face.^[2]

Notes