AR.IO Gateways

What Are AR.IO Gateways?

AR.IO gateways are specialized infrastructure nodes that serve as bridges between the Arweave network and applications. They transform raw Arweave blockchain data into a fast, reliable, and developer-friendly platform for storing and retrieving permanent data.

Core Responsibilities

AR.IO gateways handle three fundamental responsibilities:

Data Writing & Proxying

• Transaction relay: Forward transaction headers to Arweave miners for mempool inclusion
• Chunk distribution: Proxy data chunks to Arweave nodes for storage and replication
• Bundle processing: Receive and bundle ANS-104 data items into base layer transactions

Data Retrieval & Serving

• Fast access: Serve cached data with optimized performance and reliability
• Multi-source fallback: Retrieve data from trusted gateways, network peers, or directly from Arweave
• Content delivery: Stream complete transactions, individual chunks, or bundled data items

Data Discovery & Indexing

• Structured queries: Enable efficient searches across transactions, bundles, and wallet data
• Real-time indexing: Process incoming data streams and maintain searchable databases
• ArNS routing: Provide human-readable name resolution for Arweave content

Key Features

Modular Architecture

Gateways are built with interchangeable components that operators can customize:

• Configurable services: Enable or disable features based on specific needs
• Scalable storage: From SQLite for small deployments to cloud databases for enterprise scale
• Flexible infrastructure: Adaptable to different operational environments and requirements

Network Connectivity

• Decentralized network: Connect to other AR.IO gateways for data sharing and redundancy
• Trust-minimized access: Cryptographically verify data integrity without relying on central authorities
• Performance optimization: Intelligent caching and content delivery strategies

Developer Experience

• HTTP APIs: Standard web interfaces for all gateway functionality
• Monitoring & telemetry: Built-in observability for operational insights
• Content moderation: Configurable policies for community and compliance needs

What Gateways Are Not

It's important to understand the boundaries of what AR.IO gateways do and don't provide:

Not Storage Providers

• Don't enforce Arweave protocol: Gateways don't validate consensus or mining rules
• Don't guarantee permanence: Storage permanence comes from Arweave itself, not gateways
• Don't replicate all data: Gateways cache popular content but aren't full blockchain replicas

Not Compute Platforms

• Don't depend on AO: Gateways operate independently of any compute layer
• Don't execute smart contracts: Computation happens on AO or other platforms, not gateways
• Don't process application logic: Gateways focus purely on data access and delivery

Not Centralized Services

• Don't control data: Content ownership and control remain with original creators
• Don't gate access: Anyone can run a gateway and access Arweave data
• Don't create vendor lock-in: Gateway APIs and protocols are open and interoperable

Explore Gateways