How can I upload a json file (or JavaScript Object) to IPFS in NextJS?

Question

I am trying to upload the metadata(JavaScript Object) of a file already uploaded to IPFS, from the client side in the NextJS. I am able to upload files(PDFs) to IPFS using the Infura's HTTP API with the help of the ipfs-http-client package, but I am not able to do so with JSON? I have also tried uploading using the pinata SDK but in vain. How can I upload the JavaScript object to IPFS?

Answer 1

The Short Answer: Perform JSON.stringify() on the JavaScript Object and upload the returned value to the IPFS. You can either use Infura's HTTP API end-point or ipfs-http-client which is a client library for the IPFS HTTP API.

The Long Answer:

Uploading a file from user's disk:-

1. Using the ipfs-core package:

• install the ipfs-core package

yarn add ipfs-core

• using ipfs-core package

import * as IPFS from 'ipfs-core'      

const ipfs = await IPFS.create()       //creating an IPFS node
//passing the file object  extracted from the HTML input.
const { cid } = await ipfs.add(file)   
console.info(cid) // QmXXY5ZxbtuYj6DnfApLiGstzPN7fvSyigrRee3hDWPCaf

2. Using a public IPFS gateway

• You can use this public IPFS gateway provided by Infura and use it to upload the files directly by sending a post request to this IPFS gateway.
• You can refer to this post on dev.to.

Uploading a JavaScript Object as a JSON:-

• You can upload a JavaScript Object to IPFS in the form of JSON text.
• First, you have to stringify the JSON using JSON.stringify(<JS_OBJECT>) and upload the returned value of this function to the IPFS.
• You can use either of the two methods discussed above for uploading the value returned by this function.

Answer 2

You can use pinata-api without third party library

from the client you send the metadata to the server and the server sends post a request to pinata.

    const url = `https://api.pinata.cloud/pinning/pinJSONToIPFS`;
    const res = await axios.post(
      url,
      {
        pinataMetadata: {
          name: "add a name",
        },
        // assuming client sends `nftMeta` json
        pinataContent: req.body.nftMeta,
      },
      {
        headers: {
          pinata_api_key: yourPinataApiKey,
          pinata_secret_api_key: yourPinataSecretApiKey,
        },
      }
    );