Use Cases

Decentralized Web Hosting with Flexible Access

With Wayfinder, not only can websites be hosted on the Arweave network, but their accessibility is also enhanced. By using the Wayfinder Protocol, web developers can ensure that if a specific AR.IO Gateway is down, the content can still be accessed through another gateway, offering a more reliable and resilient user experience.

This is particularly valuable for:

• Personal websites that need to remain accessible
• Documentation sites that must be always available
• Portfolio sites for professionals and creators

Digital Archives and Preservation with Enhanced Sharing

Digitally archiving public domain works, especially in light of events like "banned books week", becomes more efficient with Wayfinder. Historical institutions or enthusiasts can easily share specific Wayfinder links to documents or media.

Unlike hardcoded links which might break if a specific gateway goes offline, Wayfinder ensures that the content remains consistently accessible.

This is ideal for:

• Historical documents and public domain works
• Academic research and scholarly articles
• Cultural preservation projects
• Legal documents that need permanent access

Media Sharing Platforms with Consistent Content Delivery

For platforms hosting user-generated content, the Wayfinder Protocol provides not just decentralized hosting but also a guarantee of content delivery. Even if a content piece becomes viral and one gateway gets congested, Wayfinder ensures that users can still access the content through another gateway, providing a seamless experience.

Perfect for:

• Social media platforms with user-generated content
• Video sharing sites with viral content
• Image galleries and art platforms
• Podcast hosting and audio content

Decentralized Applications (DApps) with Reliable Front-End Accessibility

DApps, while benefiting from Arweave's permanent hosting, can further ensure their front-end remains consistently accessible to users by using Wayfinder. If a DApp's front-end is accessed frequently, causing strain on one gateway, Wayfinder can help ensure the load is distributed, and the DApp remains online and functional.

This is essential for:

• DeFi applications that need high availability
• NFT marketplaces with high traffic
• Gaming platforms with real-time requirements
• Collaborative tools and productivity apps

Branded Content Access

Companies and individuals can brand their permaweb content, making it accessible through their domain, enhancing brand visibility and user trust. This is achieved through DNS TXT records that link domain names to Arweave content.

Dynamic Content Updates

Domain owners can easily update what Permaweb content their ar:// URL resolves to, which is ideal for frequently updated resources like documents, blogs, and application interfaces.

Educational and Informational Resources

Educational institutions and information providers can make their resources permanently available on the permaweb, accessible through simple, memorable URLs.

Next Steps

Ready to get started with Wayfinder? Explore Integration Methods to see how to implement Wayfinder in your applications, or go back to the Overview to review the basics.