After carefully examining Walrus's technical design, I feel it is necessary to understand it within the broader context of the entire Web3 infrastructure ecosystem. The true value of infrastructure projects does not lie in how comprehensive their features are, but in the role they play within the system. Walrus's design philosophy essentially reflects a clear understanding of this role.

The Web3 ecosystem infrastructure can roughly be divided into several parts: consensus and execution layers, data availability layer, storage and distribution layer, and middleware services for applications. Each project emphasizes different aspects and bears different responsibilities. Walrus is neither a consensus layer nor an execution layer; it does not directly handle transaction ordering or state changes. Its role is positioned between data availability and application storage.

In terms of actual functionality, Walrus is neither purely a data availability layer nor a traditional file storage system. The data availability layer concerns whether transaction data can be accessed and verified by network participants to ensure correct on-chain execution; file storage systems focus more on how data is stored and quickly distributed. Walrus sits in the middle—aiming to solve application data availability issues while also addressing storage efficiency. In simple terms, it is a hybrid.

This positioning did not emerge out of nowhere; it is closely related to the evolving nature of Web3 applications themselves. As application forms shift from purely financial protocols to include content, social, and other areas, the data requirements have changed...