Filecoin is a decentralized storage network that aims to change the way we store data by providing safe and reliable data storage solutions. As the Filecoin ecosystem grows, it becomes increasingly important for users and developers to understand its address system. This article will take an in-depth look at the Filecoin token’s address structure, the different types of addresses, and their role in the network.
Filecoin Address Overview
In the Filecoin network, each address is an identifier pointing to an actor in the Filecoin state. All actors, including miners, storage market actors, and account actors, have a unique address. All Filecoin addresses begin with the letter "f", indicating that the address belongs to the Filecoin network, followed by address prefix numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) that indicate the type of address.
Address types: Filecoin defines five types of addresses, each type has its specific uses and characteristics:
BLS public key address: This type of address is associated with a BLS signature and is intended for actors who need to conduct cryptographic transactions.
Extensible user-defined actor addresses: These addresses can be customized by the user, providing greater flexibility.
f410 address: This address is compatible with Ethereum and corresponds to the Ethereum address starting with 0x, which facilitates cross-chain operations.
The design of these address types allows the Filecoin network to achieve a balance of flexibility and security.
Actor ID
Each actor is assigned a short integer by InitActor, which is a unique identifier for the actor. An ID address is composed of an actor's ID and its network identifier, and each ID address is a unique identifier for that actor. It should be noted that ID addresses are not stable, they depend on the chain state and are defined on the chain by the InitActor.
When a chain reorganization occurs (similar to a rollback in SQL Database), the same ID may be assigned to a different actor. At this point, the expected consensus algorithm resolves this conflict. Once the state in which a new ID is defined reaches finality, the ID is permanently bound to the actor.
The role of the public key
Public keys in Filecoin are managed directly by users, and these public keys are derived from public-private key pairs. If a user has the private key, they can sign messages sent from that actor. Public keys are used to derive the actor’s address, which makes public key addresses known as robust addresses because they do not depend on Filecoin’s chain state.
The advantage of public key addresses is that they allow devices such as hardware wallets to derive a valid Filecoin address using only the public key, without the need to ask the remote node for the user's ID address. Such a design provides a concise, safe, and human-readable way to reference actors, especially before the chain state is finalized.
Filecoin supports two types of public key addresses:
BLS Address: Filecoin uses curve bls12-381 for BLS signing, which is a pair of related curves G1 and G2. G1 is used for public keys because it enables a smaller representation of public keys, while G2 is used for signatures.
Ethereum-compatible addresses: These addresses make it easier to interact between Filecoin and Ethereum, promoting ecosystem integration.
in conclusion
As the Filecoin ecosystem continues to expand, it is critical to understand how its address system works. From the structure of addresses to the assignment of actor IDs to the management of public keys, these elements together form the foundation of the Filecoin network. For users and developers, familiarity with these concepts will not only help them use Filecoin more effectively, but also promote the healthy development of the entire ecosystem.
In the future, with the further development and evolution of technology, Filecoin's address system may see new changes and innovations. We look forward to this decentralized storage network bringing us more surprises and possibilities.