Building a Decentralized Author Platform

Building a Decentralized Author Platform: A Case Study

Executive Summary

This case study examines the design, implementation, and ongoing evolution of a decentralized web presence for independent author B.A. DeMers. The project explored whether blockchain-based domain ownership and decentralized hosting could provide viable alternatives to traditional content platforms for creators facing increasing platform dependency risks. While the technical implementation succeeded, ecosystem volatility and platform instability revealed critical gaps in Web3 infrastructure maturity. The project continues in a hybrid state, demonstrating both the promise and practical limitations of decentralized creative infrastructure.

Timeline: December 2024 – Present
Status: Phase 4 (Migration Pending)
Key Technologies: Jekyll, Fleek, 3DNS/My.Box, ENS, Cloudflare Pages

The Challenge

Problem Statement

Independent authors increasingly face platform dependency risks as content distribution consolidates around major platforms with evolving moderation policies and algorithmic gatekeeping. Traditional web hosting and domain registration, while reliable, offer no protection against:

• Arbitrary platform policy changes
• Content removal or deplatforming
• Domain registrar disputes
• Algorithmic suppression
• Service discontinuation

For B.A. DeMers—a pen name adopted to maintain separation between creative and professional work—these risks were particularly concerning. The author writes speculative fiction exploring themes of autonomy and systemic control, making censorship-resistant infrastructure philosophically aligned with the creative work itself.

Objectives

1. Establish true ownership of web presence through blockchain-based domain tokenization
2. Eliminate single points of failure using decentralized hosting infrastructure
3. Maintain creative control independent of platform policies or corporate gatekeepers
4. Ensure content portability to survive platform migrations or failures
5. Test viability of Web3 infrastructure for independent creative professionals

Approach

Technology Stack Selection

Design Principles

1. Portability First - All content in version-controlled, standard formats
2. No Vendor Lock-in - Avoid proprietary platforms or formats
3. Hybrid Architecture - Balance decentralization ideals with reliability requirements
4. Ownership Verification - Blockchain records as proof of domain ownership
5. Minimal Dependencies - Static generation eliminates database and server requirements

Implementation Timeline

Phase 1: Foundation (December 2024)

Activities:

• Developed static site architecture using Jekyll and Markdown
• Tokenized domain through 3DNS blockchain service
• Deployed to Fleek decentralized hosting platform
• Established Git-based version control workflow

Outcome: Functional proof-of-concept with fully decentralized infrastructure

Phase 2: Launch (February 2025)

Activities:

• Announced website on LinkedIn
• Site operational on Fleek with 3DNS domain integration
• Content delivery via IPFS

Outcome: Successfully demonstrated decentralized author platform

Phase 3: Platform Failure (October 2025)

Critical Incident: During Fleek’s migration from app.fleek.xyz to hosting.fleek.xyz, account access was lost for at least two weeks. Despite multiple support requests, resolution only restored partial access through “authorized user” status—original build remained inaccessible.

Business Impact:

• Complete loss of deployment control
• Two-week service interruption
• Compromised autonomy (the primary project goal)

Response: Migrated content to Cloudflare Pages to restore stability while maintaining decentralized domain ownership.

Phase 4: Ecosystem Disruption (Current)

Critical Incident: 3DNS acquired by My.Box. New parent company announced retirement of 3DNS smart contract, deprecating ENS functionality and discontinuing .com tokenization.

Migration Status:

• Domain locked in legacy smart contract pending My.Box migration pathway
• No manual workaround available—timeline controlled entirely by My.Box
• ENS functionality may persist but will not be actively supported
• Transfer to NameSilo pending smart contract retirement

Current Architecture:

• Content hosted on Cloudflare Pages (reliable delivery)
• Original domain tokenized under 3DNS (locked, pending migration)
• Secondary ENS domain (storiesbydemers.eth) integrated for interim blockchain functionality

Results & Findings

What Worked

Content Portability Static site architecture and Markdown content enabled seamless migration between hosting platforms when Fleek access was lost. Version control through Git provided complete backup and recovery capability.

Philosophical Alignment The project successfully demonstrated that blockchain-based domain ownership is technically viable and philosophically meaningful for creators concerned about platform dependency.

Hybrid Resilience Maintaining parallel Web2 infrastructure (Cloudflare) prevented complete service disruption when Web3 components failed.

What Failed

Platform Reliability Both core Web3 platforms (Fleek and 3DNS) experienced major disruptions:

• Fleek: Backend migration locked out users without warning
• 3DNS: Acquisition led to service deprecation and forced migration

Support Infrastructure Early-stage Web3 companies lacked responsive support systems. Two-week response times and unresolved access issues undermined the autonomy these platforms promised.

True Decentralization Despite blockchain-based ownership, practical control remained dependent on platform stability. Being locked out of hosting or stuck in a smart contract migration contradicts decentralization principles.

Ecosystem Maturity Rapid market consolidation (My.Box acquisition) and smart contract deprecation revealed how volatile early Web3 infrastructure remains.

Current Status

Operational: Content successfully delivered via Cloudflare Pages
Blocked: Domain ownership migration pending My.Box timeline
Workaround: Secondary ENS domain provides interim blockchain functionality
Timeline: Indefinite—dependent on external smart contract migration

Key Insights

For Independent Creators

Decentralization requires redundancy. Web3 infrastructure cannot yet serve as sole platform. Hybrid approaches combining Web2 reliability with Web3 ownership provide better practical outcomes.

Early adoption has real costs. Platform instability, support gaps, and ecosystem volatility create operational risk that may outweigh philosophical benefits for creators requiring consistent uptime.

Portability is protection. Standard formats (Markdown, HTML, Git) provided genuine independence when proprietary platforms failed.

Smart contracts create new dependencies. Blockchain-based ownership doesn’t guarantee control when assets are locked in deprecated contracts pending third-party migrations.

For Web3 Infrastructure Providers

Support infrastructure is critical. Technical innovation without responsive support undermines the autonomy Web3 promises.

Migration pathways matter. Clear, timely communication and automated migration tools are essential during platform transitions.

“Decentralized” is a spectrum. Users still depend on platform operators for access, support, and continuity—true decentralization remains aspirational.

Recommendations

For Creators Considering Decentralized Infrastructure

Do This:

• Maintain hybrid architecture (Web2 hosting + Web3 ownership)
• Use static site generation for maximum portability
• Implement rigorous version control and backup procedures
• Test platform support responsiveness before committing
• Keep domains on stable registrars; consider tokenization as secondary proof of ownership

Avoid This:

• Complete dependence on any single Web3 platform
• Platforms without established support infrastructure
• Tokenizing critical assets in smart contracts you don’t control
• Assuming “decentralized” means “reliable”

For Technical Implementation

Recommended Stack:

• Content: Markdown + Static Site Generator (Jekyll, Hugo, 11ty)
• Version Control: Git + GitHub/GitLab
• Primary Hosting: Established Web2 platform (Cloudflare, Netlify, Vercel)
• Domain: Traditional registrar with strong track record
• Optional Web3: ENS domain for blockchain-native features, not critical infrastructure

When Web3 Makes Sense

Consider decentralized infrastructure when:

• Content faces legitimate platform risk
• Audience is Web3-native
• Project timeline accommodates ecosystem volatility
• Resources exist to maintain parallel systems
• Ownership verification matters more than operational simplicity

Lessons Learned

Innovation and reliability must coexist. The most philosophically aligned solution means nothing if users can’t access it.

Document everything. Version control isn’t just best practice—it’s insurance against platform failure.

Support quality predicts success. Evaluate platforms on responsiveness, not just features or philosophy.

Hybrid > Purist. Pragmatic combinations of Web2 and Web3 outperform ideologically pure approaches.

Smart contracts create new gatekeepers. Blockchain ownership doesn’t eliminate dependencies—it changes who controls them.

Conclusion

This project successfully demonstrated that decentralized creative infrastructure is technically feasible but practically immature. The philosophical goals—ownership, autonomy, censorship resistance—remain valid and increasingly relevant as platform consolidation continues.

However, the Web3 ecosystem’s volatility, support gaps, and smart contract dependencies reveal that these technologies cannot yet replace traditional infrastructure for creators requiring operational stability.

The most viable path forward combines Web2 reliability for content delivery with Web3 ownership mechanisms as proof of provenance—not as critical infrastructure.

As B.A. DeMers continues refining this digital presence, the architecture reflects hard-won pragmatism: technology should serve creativity, not constrain it. Sometimes that means embracing hybrid solutions that prioritize function over ideological purity.

Current project status: Operational with stable content delivery. Domain ownership migration pending external timeline. Secondary blockchain integration active.

“Technology changes, but storytelling remains our oldest bridge.”
— B.A. DeMers