This is my fourth article diving into the world of Web3, and the more I explore, the more I enjoy the ride. There’s a lot to learn, and each project uncovers something new. Knowing that Web3 domain names are decentralized, I wanted to dig deeper and understand how they’re actually hosted. What does it really mean to “own” a domain on the decentralized web — and how do you get a website online without using traditional hosting?
I already mentioned that I was skeptical about this whole Web3 domain thing when I started. But the more I learn, the more I love. I was still pretty confused about hosting a site on one of these domains. I mean, no nameservers? How the heck is this going to work? Why don’t regular browsers support these names yet?
Turns out it’s not as complicated as I thought, though there are definitely some quirks you should know about.
What Even Is a Decentralized Website?
A decentralized website doesn’t rely on a single server or hosting company. Instead, it lives on a distributed network, and the most common way to make that happen today is with IPFS, or InterPlanetary File System.
Here’s how it works:
IPFS is a peer-to-peer protocol that stores and shares files across a network of computers (called nodes). Instead of asking a central server for a file — like we do on today’s web — your browser asks the IPFS network, “Who has this file?” and then pulls it from multiple sources at once.
Each file on IPFS is given a unique content identifier (CID) — basically a long cryptographic hash that serves as its address. That means if you change even one letter in a file, it gets a completely new hash.
This is content-addressing, not location-addressing. You’re requesting a specific version of a file based on its contents — not based on a server location like example.com/index.html.
The upside: once your content is on IPFS, anyone in the world can retrieve it (as long as it’s pinned or cached). It’s fast, redundant, and removes the single point of failure that comes with traditional hosting.
The downside: your files can “disappear” if no one is hosting (pinning) them — more on that later.
When you combine IPFS with a blockchain-based domain name (like something.crypto or whatever.nft), you get a website that’s not tied to any single company or infrastructure.
What You Actually Need
Here’s what I ended up using:
- A Web3 domain (I went with .x, but there are others)
- MetaMask wallet (this was annoying to set up but necessary)
- Some way to host your files on IPFS
- A basic website (HTML/CSS — no fancy backend)
For the domain, I used Unstoppable Domains because they don’t charge renewal fees. Pay once, own it forever. That alone sold me.
The IPFS Hosting Headache
This is where things got interesting. IPFS isn’t like regular hosting — you can’t just upload files and call it a day. You need a service that keeps your content “pinned” so it doesn’t disappear.
I tried a few options:
Fleek – This was the easiest. You connect your GitHub repo and it automatically deploys. Worked great until I wanted to customize something and realized I was still depending on their service. Kind of defeats the purpose?
Pinata – More control, but you’re dealing with APIs and technical stuff. Good if you like tinkering.
Self-hosting – I attempted this. Spent three hours trying to get an IPFS node running on my old laptop before giving up. Maybe someday.
Actually Getting It Working
The process was simpler than I expected:
- I uploaded my site files to Fleek (just dragged and dropped them)
- Got back a long weird hash that looks like:
QmXxXxX...(this is your site’s address) - Went to my Unstoppable Domains dashboard
- Found the “Website” section and pasted in the hash
- Signed a transaction with MetaMask (cost me about $2 in gas fees)
And that was it. My site was live on the decentralized web.
The Browser Problem
Here’s the catch nobody tells you upfront: most browsers don’t know what to do with Web3 domains yet.
Brave works perfectly — type in yourdomain.crypto and it just loads. Chrome and Firefox? Not so much. You need to install extensions or use gateway links that look like garbage.
What Actually Works (And What Doesn’t)
What I liked:
- No monthly hosting bills
- Can’t get randomly suspended
- Domain really is yours (stored on the blockchain)
- Feels pretty cool to be “off the grid”
The tradeoffs:
- Most people can’t visit your site easily (big downside… but I expect this will change)
- No databases or server-side code
- Still dependent on pinning services
- Gas fees for updating domain records
I also discovered that if your pinning service goes down, your site disappears anyway. So much for decentralization.
Is It Worth It?
For a personal blog or portfolio? Maybe. It’s a fun experiment and you learn how the pieces of the decentralized web actually fit together.
For anything serious? Probably not yet. The user experience isn’t there, and you’re trading one set of dependencies for another. But again, I expect this will change in the near future making this a more acceptable alternative.
I’ll feel even better when Brave or Chrome makes Web3 domains feel normal.
My Honest Take
The technology is interesting, and I like the idea of owning my domain permanently. But let’s be real — we’re still early. Most of the “decentralized” solutions still rely on centralized services somewhere.
That said, if you’re curious about Web3 or just want to mess around with new tech, it’s worth trying. Just don’t expect it to replace your regular website tomorrow.
The whole process took me a weekend to figure out, cost about $50 total, and gave me a much better understanding of where the internet might be heading — even if I’m not ready to go fully decentralized just yet.
