How do I upload to IPFS using S3?

Bridging centralized workflows and decentralized storage just got easier. If you’ve worked with AWS S3 before, you're 90% of the way there. Filebase gives you an S3-compatible API that plugs directly into IPFS — no blockchain knowledge required.

Here’s how to upload files to IPFS using familiar S3 tools.

Why S3-Compatible APIs with IPFS?

Let’s talk real benefits — why go this route?

• Familiar workflows: Use the same AWS SDKs and tools you already know (like boto3, aws-sdk, etc).
• Faster onboarding: No need to rewrite existing infra — just point your S3 client at a new endpoint.
• Hybrid-friendly: Filebase gives you IPFS-backed persistence plus advanced features like Ai based threat detection, pre-signed URLs and more.
• Easy pinning: Uploading via S3 means Filebase automatically pins your files to IPFS for you — no manual pin add needed.

Perfect for developers looking to gradually decentralize without burning everything down.

Getting Started with Filebase

First, you’ll need a Filebase account. Free tier gets you started quickly.

1. Sign Up
   Head to filebase.com and create an account.

2. Create a Bucket
   Think of it like an S3 bucket — name it, choose “IPFS” as the backend, done.

3. Grab Your Access Keys
   From the dashboard:
   ➤ Go to Access Keys
   ➤ Copy your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
   ➤ Store them safely (use .env for local dev)

Uploading Files to IPFS via Filebase

Let’s walk through a sample upload using the AWS SDK for JavaScript. You can adapt this for Python (boto3) or Go later.

Step 1: Install Dependencies

npm install aws-sdk

Or if you're using ES modules:

npm install @aws-sdk/client-s3

Step 2: Set Up Your S3 Client

const AWS = require('aws-sdk');

const s3 = new AWS.S3({
  endpoint: 'https://s3.filebase.com',
  accessKeyId: process.env.FILEBASE_KEY,
  secretAccessKey: process.env.FILEBASE_SECRET,
  region: 'us-east-1',
  signatureVersion: 'v4'
});

Yes, Filebase uses v4 signature just like AWS. You're just pointing at a new endpoint.

Step 3: Upload a File to IPFS

const fs = require('fs');

const fileStream = fs.createReadStream('./example.txt');

const params = {
  Bucket: 'your-bucket-name',
  Key: 'example.txt',
  Body: fileStream
};

s3.upload(params, (err, data) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error('Upload failed ❌', err);
    return;
  }

  console.log('✅ File uploaded to IPFS via Filebase!');
  console.log('📦 S3 URL:', data.Location);
});

After upload, Filebase handles the pinning. To retrieve the file via IPFS:

https://<your-gateway-name>.myfilebase.com/ipfs/<CID>

You can also get the CID directly from the Filebase dashboard or via API.

Bonus: Using Boto3 (Python)

If you prefer Python:

import boto3

session = boto3.session.Session()
s3 = session.client(
  service_name='s3',
  endpoint_url='https://s3.filebase.com',
  aws_access_key_id='YOUR_ACCESS_KEY',
  aws_secret_access_key='YOUR_SECRET_KEY'
)

s3.upload_file('example.txt', 'your-bucket-name', 'example.txt')

Same principle, different flavor.

Conclusion

If you want decentralized storage without rearchitecting everything — S3-compatible APIs like Filebase are the sweet spot.

• No IPFS CLI.
• No new SDKs.
• Just S3... with a twist.

This hybrid approach is ideal for teams migrating off centralized infra, one piece at a time. Start uploading today, then explore more advanced IPFS tooling later (like CIDs, IPNS, and DAG structures).

👉 Check out the full docs: Filebase S3 API Reference

➤ Want to upload larger files?
Check out our guide on How to Upload Large Files to IPFS and learn how to work around common size limits with multi-part uploads.