If you are developing a Dapp and still using traditional centralized storage solutions, it's really time to change your mindset. Recently, I discovered a storage infrastructure in the Sui ecosystem that completely changed my view of decentralized data layers—Walrus Protocol.

Let's start with the pain points. The problems faced by most developers are very real: scattered small files lead to soaring costs, inefficient retrieval, and fear of data loss if nodes go offline. Walrus solves these with two cutting-edge technologies.

The first highlight is the Quilt feature. It can automatically package hundreds or thousands of small files (the official example aggregates 660 files with one click), and importantly, you can perform precise searches and tagging on individual files. For applications dealing with large-scale data fragmentation, this can save a lot of costs and reduce engineering complexity.

The second is the "Red Stuff" erasure coding technology. This is tailor-made for decentralized environments. Traditional data redundancy incurs huge costs when nodes frequently go online and offline, but this mechanism minimizes storage overhead while ensuring that even if multiple nodes fail, data recovery costs remain extremely low. This is a truly Web3-characteristic technical solution.

Seal access control might be the most imaginative part. It allows you to programmatically define who can access what data on-chain. For example, only users holding your project’s NFT can unlock specific game storylines; or different permissions of AI models can be unlocked based on on-chain points or levels. This programmable privacy and permission mechanism is exactly what Web3 applications should have.

The ecosystem has already been practically validated. Talus Network stores AI model training data on it, and Alkimi Exchange processes over 25 million ad transactions daily, all with on-chain verifiability. This shows that Walrus is no longer just a concept; it can support real business loads. The total locked value (TVL) in Sui has already surpassed $1 billion, with more ecosystem applications emerging, and the demand for decentralized storage will inevitably rise sharply.

From a developer’s perspective, studying its SDK and documentation now is equivalent to securing an early position. The technological foundation for the next wave of Dapp explosion is likely right here.