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Merge pull request ipfs#847 from ipfs/add/reference-web3-storage
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jessicaschilling authored Jul 29, 2021
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25 changes: 23 additions & 2 deletions docs/concepts/persistence.md
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---
title: Persistence
legacyUrl: https://docs.ipfs.io/guides/concepts/pinning/
description: Learn about how IPFS treats persistence and permanence on the web and how pinning can help keep data from being discarded.
---

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To ensure that data _persists_ on IPFS, and is not deleted during garbage collection, [data can be pinned](../how-to/pin-files.md) to one or more IPFS nodes. Pinning gives you control over disk space and data retention. As such, you should use that control to pin any content you wish to keep on IPFS indefinitely.

## Garbage Collection
## Garbage collection

[Garbage collection](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_collection_(computer_science)>) is a form of automatic resource management widely used in software development. The garbage collector attempts to reclaim memory occupied by objects that are no longer in use. IPFS uses garbage collection to free disk space on your IPFS node by deleting data that it thinks is no longer needed.

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- [Crust Network](https://crust.network/)

See how to [work with remote pinning services](../how-to/work-with-pinning-services.md).

## Long-term storage

Storing data using a personal IPFS node is easy, but it can be inconvenient since you have to manage your own hardware. This problem gave rise to _pinning services_, paid services that allow you to upload your data to a remotely hosted IPFS node and retrieve it whenever you want. However, while paying a pinning service to store data is a convenient workaround, it still requires someone to bear the cost of storing that data. If that one sponsor stops paying for that pinning, the content may be lost entirely. While IPFS guarantees that any content on the network is discoverable, it doesn't guarantee that any content is persistently available. This is where [Filecoin](https://filecoin.io) comes in.

### Storing data with Filecoin

[Filecoin](https://filecoin.io) is a decentralized storage network in which storage providers rent their storage space to clients. The client and the storage provider agree on how much data will be stored, for how long, and at what cost. This agreement is called a _deal_. Once both parties agree to a deal, the client sends the data to the storage provider, who periodically verifies that they are correctly storing the data. When the client wants the data back, they send a request to the storage provider, who initiates the data transfer back to the client. For more information on how Filecoin works, head over to the [official Filecoin documentation →](https://docs.filecoin.io/about-filecoin/how-filecoin-works/)

Filecoin provides users with a dependable, long-term storage solution. However, there are some limitations to consider. The retrieval process is not always as fast as an IPFS pinning service, and the minimum file size accepted by a Filecoin storage provider can be several GiB. Also, the process for creating a storage deal may seem complicated to new users who aren't familiar with blockchain transactions or simply aren't comfortable working within a command line.

### IPFS + Filecoin solutions

Fortunately, there is a growing community of tools and service providers that help simplify the process of making content available over IPFS while also persisting the data via Filecoin. These solutions make it simple to store data using decentralized protocols by acting both as IPFS pinning services and Filecoin storage platforms. Combining the two means that when you upload a file, that file is immediately available for download. Additionally, combined IPFS + Filecoin solutions will periodically bundle data and create a deal with a reputable Filecoin storage provider, ensuring that the data is available in long-term storage. Many solutions include API client libraries for developers to integrate into their apps and services, as well as web interfaces for quickly managing and inspecting files.

Options in this category include:

- [Web3.Storage](https://Web3.Storage)
- [Estuary](https://estuary.tech)
- [Powergate](https://docs.filecoin.io/build/powergate)
- [ChainSafe Storage](https://storage.chainsafe.io)
- [Fleek Storage](https://fleek.co/storage)

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