PodSpaces
Get a Solid pod in minutes. Consumer-friendly pod hosting from Inrupt.
Overview
PodSpaces is Inrupt's consumer-facing Solid pod hosting service. It provides free personal pods with WebID, making it easy for anyone to join the Solid ecosystem.
Key Features
Quick Setup
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PodSpaces Onboarding │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ 1. Visit podspaces.net │
│ 2. Sign up with email │
│ 3. Choose username │
│ 4. Get your pod and WebID │
│ │
│ Your WebID: https://id.inrupt.com/yourname │
│ Your Pod: https://storage.inrupt.com/[guid]/ │
│ │
│ Ready to use with any Solid app │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
What You Get
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| WebID | Your decentralized identity |
| Pod storage | Space for your data |
| Access control | WAC permissions |
| App integration | Works with Solid apps |
| Free tier | No cost to get started |
WebID Identity
Your PodSpaces WebID:
https://id.inrupt.com/yourname
This identity:
- Works across all Solid apps
- Proves who you are
- Controls access to your data
- Is portable (in theory)
Usage
Access Your Pod
- Log in at podspaces.net
- Use the built-in file browser
- Or connect Solid apps
Connect Apps
When a Solid app asks to connect:
- Enter your WebID or pod URL
- Log in via Inrupt
- Grant permissions
- App can access your data
Manage Permissions
Control who sees what:
- Public data (anyone can read)
- Private data (only you)
- Shared data (specific people)
Technical Details
| Component | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Identity | Inrupt-hosted WebID |
| Storage | Enterprise Solid Server (ESS) |
| Auth | Solid-OIDC |
| Access control | WAC |
| Protocol | Solid specification |
Comparison
| Feature | PodSpaces | solidcommunity.net | Self-hosted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | Inrupt | Community | You |
| Cost | Free | Free | Hosting costs |
| Setup | Minutes | Minutes | Hours |
| Control | Limited | Limited | Full |
| Support | Commercial | Community | Self |
Limitations
Things to consider:
| Aspect | Consideration |
|---|---|
| Storage limits | Free tier has limits |
| Vendor | Hosted by Inrupt |
| Features | Enterprise features may require upgrade |
| Migration | Data export available |
Use Cases
- Getting started — Try Solid without infrastructure
- Personal data — Store contacts, calendar, files
- App development — Test Solid apps
- Learning — Understand Solid concepts
Links
- Website: podspaces.net
- Inrupt: inrupt.com
See Also
- Solid Protocol — The protocol
- Inrupt — Parent company
- CSS — Self-hosted alternative
- WebID — Identity standard