Storing your NFT Data with ArDrive Web

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_yZusSis0c

NFTs make the internet ownable. But for them to do that the storage layer underneath must be as good as the creation on top of it.

Whether you are creating an NFT drop on Ethereum, Solana or Flow, storing your NFT's data and metadata on ArDrive means you do not have to worry about it ever disappearing. Permanence is part of the infrastructure of the storage system, Arweave. 

Minting an NFT simply refers to the process of turning your digital art (or any other file) into part of the blockchain. In ArDrive’s case, your digital art will be stored on Arweave’s blockweave for permanent storage. 

The great thing about minting an NFT, and storing it’s data on ArDrive, is that the media file is actually stored on a decentralized blockchain, as opposed to IPFS or a centralized server (such as Amazon). But unlike other blockchains, you only pay a fee to upload data to ArDrive and it is always free to read.

Storing your NFT data on ArDrive is a simple and straightforward process.  Let’s see how this works.

At this point, we’re assuming that you have already created an account and are logged in to ArDrive. If not, get started with our Create a Wallet article first.

Create a Public Drive

• On the upper left side of the screen, press the +NEW button

• A drop down list will appear with four options. Please select ‘New Drive’ 

• A pop up window will appear in the middle of your screen - give your Drive a name and select Public from the dropdown list.

Upload a File

• Click on the Public Drive that you want to put your NFT data into

• Press the red New button, and this time select upload files

• Select the File that you would like to upload 

• A screen will pop up that will tell you the cost of the one time fee

• Press accept and your file will be sent to become part of the permanent blockweave

• Once your file appears in the folder you have an NFT!  

Note: There is no extra charge for creating an NFT as compared to uploading other types of files.

Check your NFT for the Permalink and ID numbers

• Double click onto the NFT file you just uploaded and a number of icons appear above the file. Details about your files will appear on the right of your screen.

• If you hit the share file button a window will pop up with a link. This is the permalink that your image now lives under on the permaweb. Copy this link and put it in your web browser and you will be able to download the NFT. 

• At the right of the screen you will see fields for the Metadata Tx ID and Data Tx ID. These IDs can be automatically copied by hovering over the double window pane icon and clicking it. 

• Once the Tx IDs are copied you can search them on Viewblock, a website that monitors transactions on the permaweb.

Note: The abbreviation “Tx” is just shorthand for “Transaction.”

Metadata Tx is what ArDrive uses to build & organize your Drive. Data Tx is the actual file you uploaded. Bundle Tx is the bundle ID of your Data & Metadata Tx.

Working with NFT marketplaces

Now you have an NFT on the Arweave blockweave where both the transaction and image will last permanently.

You can now upload your NFT to other popular NFT marketplaces like OpenSea with confidence that the NFT that you are selling will be around forever!

When listing your NFT be sure that you share your Arweave link with your file’s Data Transaction ID, eg https://arweave.net/4OIZ1pAi3KZvEnZZ1af15BIuL3Y_ql32WWIrTpQc69Y

This is sometimes referenced as

ar://4OIZ1pAi3KZvEnZZ1af15BIuL3Y_ql32WWIrTpQc69Y