Clear DefinitionsOff‑chain Metadata
1 min read
Pronunciation
[off-cheyn met-uh-day-tuh]
Analogy
Like storing a photo in the cloud and only keeping the link on your phone.
Definition
Descriptive data for tokens or assets stored outside the blockchain—such as JSON hosted on IPFS or centralized servers—to avoid on‑chain storage costs while linking via URIs.
Key Points Intro
Off‑chain metadata enables rich asset descriptions without on‑chain bloat.
Key Points
URI pointers: Contracts store links (IPFS, HTTPS).
Versioning: Metadata updates managed off‑chain.
Decentralization: Use content-addressed storage for integrity.
Schema: JSON formats define attributes and media links.
Example
An NFT’s `tokenURI` returns an IPFS CID pointing to metadata JSON with image, attributes, and animation URL.
Technical Deep Dive
Metadata server implements pinning on IPFS, serves CORS-enabled JSON at `/.json`. Frontend fetches and caches metadata with ETag headers.
Security Warning
Centralized servers can tamper metadata; prefer content-hash verification.
Caveat
Off-chain links risk link rot; ensure pinning and redundancy.
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