Arkiv is a decentralized data layer that brings queryable, time-scoped storage to Ethereum. It enables developers to store, query, and manage data with built-in expiration and attribute systems.

Why Arkiv?

Arkiv treats data as a first-class citizen on Ethereum:

Instant Queries — SQL-like queries with attributes, real-time data retrieval, no external indexing required.

Cost-Efficient — Pay only for storage duration (Expires In), automatic data pruning, no permanent storage fees.

Ethereum-Native — Built on Ethereum infrastructure, fully transparent and verifiable, compatible with existing Web3 tools.

Developer-Friendly — Simple CRUD operations, TypeScript SDK with full type safety, real-time event streaming.

Architecture

Arkiv uses a three-layer architecture:

Layer 1: Ethereum Mainnet Final settlement and security. Proof verification, commitments, and ultimate source of truth.

Layer 2: Arkiv Coordination Layer Data management and registry. DB-chain coordination, cross-chain synchronization, deterministic query resolution.

Layer 3: Specialized DB-Chains High-performance data operations. CRUD via JSON-RPC, indexed queries with attributes, programmable expiration (Expires In).

Use Cases

Temporary Data Storage — Session data with automatic expiration, cross-device clipboards, cached API responses.

Event & Analytics — Application logs with cleanup, user activity tracking, temporary metrics.

File & Media — Image metadata with expiration, document versioning, chunked file storage.

Real-Time Apps — Live chat, collaborative tools, IoT data streams.

Core Concepts

Entities — Data records containing content, attributes, and expiration time.

Attributes — Key-value pairs for querying:

typescriptExample
1{ key: "type", value: "note" }      // String attribute
2{ key: "priority", value: 5 }       // Numeric attribute

Expires In — Automatic expiration (in seconds):

typescriptExample
1expiresIn: 1800    // 30 minutes
2expiresIn: 86400   // 24 hours
3expiresIn: 604800  // 7 days

Query Language — SQL-like syntax:

sqlExample
1type = "note" && priority > 3 && created > 1672531200

Testnet Access

typescriptExample
1Chain ID:  60138453056
2RPC URL:   https://mendoza.hoodi.arkiv.network/rpc
3WebSocket: wss://mendoza.hoodi.arkiv.network/rpc/ws

Faucet: Get Test ETH Explorer: View Transactions

Quick example:

typescriptExample
1import { createWalletClient, createPublicClient, http } from "@arkiv-network/sdk"
2import { privateKeyToAccount } from "@arkiv-network/sdk/accounts"
3import { mendoza } from "@arkiv-network/sdk/chains"
4import { ExpirationTime, jsonToPayload } from "@arkiv-network/sdk/utils"
5import { eq } from "@arkiv-network/sdk/query"
6
7// Wallet client (read/write) - requires private key
8const walletClient = createWalletClient({
9  chain: mendoza,
10  transport: http(),
11  account: privateKeyToAccount('0x...'),
12})
13
14const { entityKey, txHash } = await walletClient.createEntity({
15  payload: jsonToPayload({ message: 'Hello Arkiv!' }),
16  contentType: 'application/json',
17  attributes: [{ key: 'type', value: 'greeting' }],
18  expiresIn: ExpirationTime.fromMinutes(30),
19})
20
21console.log("Stored:", entityKey)
22
23// Public client (queries only) - no private key needed
24const publicClient = createPublicClient({
25  chain: mendoza,
26  transport: http(),
27})
28
29const query = publicClient.buildQuery()
30const results = await query
31  .where(eq('type', 'greeting'))
32  .withAttributes(true)
33  .withPayload(true)
34  .fetch()

Next Steps

1. Getting Started — Set up your dev environment
2. SDK Reference — TypeScript and Python SDKs
3. API Docs — JSON-RPC interface
4. Guides — Build real applications

Resources: Playground — Interactive examples Discord — Community support