Are dApps truly decentralised? This was my thought as I woke up this morning. I call myself a web3 technical writer and a frontend blockchain developer every day. I share the message of Web3 with anyone who will listen and attend Web3 events.
This isn't unique to me; we Web3 developers often see ourselves as the revolutionaries of the Web. Our projects usually highlight or address issues specific to Web 2.
After all this boasting and building of powerful projects that tackle the problem of centralisation, guess what? We still choose to host on a centralised cloud. For example, here is an ERC-20 Token Minter hosted on Vercel, a centralised cloud platform. When we host our website on a platform like this, the scenario always comes to my mind:
Some villagers who are fighting for freedom from their master. They come together and vow not to be ruled by anyone but themselves. Yet, they still ask their master for land to live on.
It's a funny scenario, but that is our reality as Web3 developers. I remember when a friend of mine, who is a core Web2 developer, said something to me one day. He said
It’s funny how Web3 claims to be decentralized but still depends on centralized infrastructure. If all major cloud providers decided to shut down Web3 apps tomorrow, most of you would be in serious trouble.
Honestly, what he said is true.
With all these, do you think your dApp can survive without centralised cloud providers?
Why Most Web3 Projects Still Use Centralised Clouds
There's no point in being sarcastic; we build decentralised apps and host them on centralised platforms like Vercel, AWS, or Google Cloud. Personally, I love them because they are convenient, easy to use, and usually deliver as expected. Even a 10-year-old can host a website on Vercel. All they need to do is link their GitHub to Vercel, click on the project, and within a few seconds, their project is up and running.
Another thing we can't ignore is that most Web3 tools integrate seamlessly with these environments. So, when you're focused on adding features or meeting a hackathon deadline, hosting on a centralised cloud feels like the easiest option.
However, behind this smooth experience lies a hidden risk. One failure at the infrastructure level—whether it's censorship, downtime, or abuse of power—can take your entire dApp offline. And when the foundation isn’t decentralised, is your dApp truly Web3? Have you ever considered how governments might have insight into the amount of money transacted over the blockchain? Do you think they wouldn't know this through these centralised cloud providers?
Decentralisation isn’t just about where your data is stored or how your smart contracts are run. It’s also about how your frontend and backend are deployed.
This is where Aleph. Cloud comes in.
Meet Aleph Cloud: The Infrastructure Layer for Truly Decentralised dApps
As mentioned earlier, smart contracts alone don't define the decentralisation of dApps. The hosting platform, which acts as the foundation, also contributes to decentralisation. The good news is that we don't have to rely on centralised cloud platforms; Aleph Cloud is here for us.
Aleph Cloud is a Web3 Supercloud that provides infrastructure for decentralised storage, computing, and AI. It provides serverless computing, decentralised storage, and secure message routing without relying on traditional centralised servers. It also provides a blockchain indexing framework, allowing developers to index data from any blockchain network by leveraging the Aleph network's decentralised storage and compute capabilities.
If I had met Aleph Cloud earlier, this is what my dApps would have enjoyed:
- Compute Nodes: Aleph.im allows me and you to deploy backend applications (like APIs, bots, scripts) on a distributed network of nodes. This shows there is no downtime. If one node fails, multiple nodes will take over. Whether you're running a FastAPI service, a Node.js app, or a machine learning model, Aleph handles it. You can choose to use the Function, Instance, GPU or Confidential feature based on your project needs. For example, here is a simple Feedback API I hosted on Aleph Cloud:
And this is me here testing it out on Postman:
2. Decentralised Storage: From JSON data to static websites to NFT metadata, Aleph.im offers IPFS-based storage, accessible via permanent content hashes. This is ideal for hosting frontend code, storing user-generated content, or persisting blockchain-related data. For example, I saved my project’s dependencies on IPFS and pinned them on Aleph cloud:
If you click on this link, you can see that the content is being referred to as an IPFS file:
3. Volume Attachments: Need persistent storage for your backend app (e.g., to store models, logs, or database files)? Aleph supports volumes attached to compute instances, functions or GPU. For example, I can attach the dependencies I previously pinned on Aleph to any of my projects while hosting it, ensuring it contains what my project needs, like this:
This way, I don’t have to upload the chunky folders, e.g node_modules 4. Cross-Chain Identity: Aleph integrates with multiple blockchains (Ethereum, Solana, Base, Avalanche, etc.), giving you flexibility and interoperability by design. Here is proof:
a. For wallet connection
b. Available networks for Aleph CLI account configuration:
So you don’t need to bridge from one network to another or create a fresh wallet.
- Minimal Fees: Another benefit I enjoyed from Aleph Cloud, besides being a decentralised cloud platform, the fees are very affordable. You only pay for what you use. Let's take a look at the function fees below:
You just need to hold Aleph Tokens to keep your project up and running.
Final Thought
Web3 developers, let's embrace decentralised cloud platforms like Aleph Cloud to host our dApps. We shouldn't be like slaves who want freedom but still beg their masters for land to live on. You can learn more about Aleph Cloud through its documentation and my next article on how to host your API on Aleph.
Remember, if your cloud isn’t decentralised, your dApp isn’t either.
