Client libraries & SDKs (front-end)

IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) is a peer-to-peer protocol designed to make the web faster, more open, and more resilient. By using content-addressed storage rather than location-based references, IPFS removes the need for centralized servers and allows files to be distributed and retrieved from multiple nodes around the world. This approach lowers hosting costs, improves data availability, and reduces censorship, laying the groundwork for a more secure and permanent global information network. IPFS is used in a variety of applications. While some users interact with IPFS via imported libraries in their projects, a large amount of usage comes via IPFS' HTTP Gateway API which allows users to self-host, use extensions like IPFS companion, or publicly run gateways (whether paid ones run by companies like Filebase, Pinata, etc. or the public goods services at ipfs.io and dweb.link). IPFS is a system for moving data across decentralized networks, with >11M weekly users and 250K public p2p nodes. Highlights: Off-chain storage. IPFS provides verifiable, off-chain storage, often used to reduce on-chain needs in Ethereum & Optimism. Examples: TrueBlocks (local IPFS-based index for EVM chains, built with grants from OP & EF), Snapshot (IPFS-based off-chain voting). Go-to distribution network for fully decentralized third-party app frontends (for gaming, DeFi, & more). We run gateway services that serve 900M requests/wk, and added native IPFS support to browsers like Chromium & Brave. NFT metadata gold standard. Over 115M NFTs are stored on IPFS, including leading platforms OpenSea (which supports Optimism NFTs), Rarible, and Zora.

Ethers.js is a simple, compact and complete JavaScript (via TypeScript) library for interacting with Ethereum and related blockchains. It is currently used in a very large number of Blockchain projects, including everything from block explorers to wallets (like MetaMask) and is downloaded over 7.1 million times per month (as of this writing). It is also one of the top 500 projects (by dependants) on NPM. It was written and is maintained by me, RicMoo (Richard Moore), a random developer from Canada that is passionate about open-source and dedicates most his waking-time (and some sleeping-time) to it. Hack the Planet! :)

frames.js is the leading open source javascript library and debugging environment to help developers make Frames for Farcaster, XMTP and Lens faster & easier. We also have been building and maintaining a library for apps to adopt frames in their apps that has been integrated by the Base team in their Base names product.