1. No storage
Representative project: cryptopunks
These NFT projects do not have any information about the storage location of the image, and even the contract does not store metadata data. It only appears in very early NFT projects, such as cryptopunks.
When you buy an NFT of Cryptopunks, it can be successfully displayed on platforms such as OS because it is manually adapted by platforms such as OS on the front end of the web page, because the Cryptopunks images are stored in a centralized website cache.
So what are users paying for? To be precise, users pay a lot of money for a number in a smart contract. The market and everyone's recognition of it are more based on consensus and the pictures displayed on the website.
This type of NFT is basically gone. If a new NFT project adopts this [storage] method, you can directly block it.
2. On-chain storage
This storage method is also commonly known as [permanent storage] because it is on the chain.
It can be divided into two categories: one is that metadata data and NFT smart contracts are stored on the same public chain; the other is stored on a dedicated metadata data storage public chain. The former is more common, while the latter is rare.
Representative project: Autoglyphs Ethereum Chain
Advantages: Higher permanence and security of stored data
Disadvantages: Ethereum’s on-chain storage is expensive and it is difficult to store more complex images.
3. Decentralized Storage
Decentralized storage was invented earlier than blockchain and has the decentralized nature of blockchain, but it cannot be equated with on-chain storage.
Representative project: BAYC
Advantages: cannot be tampered with and has lower storage cost
Disadvantages: The permanence of data storage is not well guaranteed
4. Centralized Storage