Prototype of Implementation of Smart Contract for Blockchain-Based Document Storage

Data, including digital and physical documents, is a valuable asset often vulnerable to forgery, theft, and reliance on centralized servers, which are costly and prone to failure. This study develops a prototype of a decentralized document storage application by combining blockchain and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). The system is designed as a web-based decentralized application (DApp), integrating Ethereum smart contracts to immutably record document metadata and access history, while the actual files are stored in IPFS and identified using unique Content Identifiers (CIDs). User interactions are facilitated through MetaMask for authentication and transaction approval. The system is developed using the Waterfall methodology. Functional testing is conducted through unit tests using Ganache as a local Ethereum blockchain, and the smart contract is also deployed to the Sepolia Ethereum testnet. The results show that the system successfully stores documents via IPFS and records metadata and access activities transparently on the blockchain. Access and download tracking features enhance document accountability. This solution provides a secure, efficient, and transparent alternative to centralized document storage and contributes to the advancement of distributed digital archiving systems.