Arweave the blockchain for permanent data storage continues to increase in use every month. But, how is it designed to handled the increased transactions so the chain is fast and scalable?

Imagine Arweave as a conveyor belt processing boxes of permanent memories. This conveyor belt runs at a constant speed and can process 1,000 boxes every 2 minutes, equivalent to the number of transactions per block.

In the early days of Arweave, data traffic was low, and the conveyor had ample spare capacity. However, as the network grew, the conveyor quickly became overwhelmed, unable to process all incoming packages.

Today, Arweave handles thousands of boxes per second and millions per day. How is this possible despite the conveyor's limited throughput?

The answer lies in bundling.

What is Bundling?

Bundling is akin to having a machine that can pack smaller boxes into larger ones, optimizing space on the conveyor belt. This technique allows for multiple smaller transactions to be combined into a single, larger transaction.

Think of it like Hermione's magical bag from Harry Potter, which could hold an infinite number of items without ever filling up.

Bundles let you consolidate hundreds or thousands of files into a single transaction on Arweave. It’s a bag that never fills up.

Bundling enables AR.IO gateways to manage more data efficiently, preventing overloads and ensuring seamless data access and upload to the permaweb.

How Bundling Works with AR.IO Gateways

Gateways, serving as the interface between users and the Arweave network, play a crucial role in bundling. By integrating bundling capabilities, AR.IO gateways can:

1. Enhance Efficiency: Multiple small transactions are combined into a single larger transaction, optimizing the network's throughput.

2. Improve Reliability: Bundling reduces the risk of transaction failures as it consolidates data into fewer, more manageable packets.

3. Save Costs: Combining multiple transactions into one lowers the overall transaction fees and optimizes network resource usage.

DIY Bundlers and Self-Sovereignty

With AR.IO, users are not dependent on third-party bundlers. The open-source bundler allows anyone to manage their data uploads, promoting self-sovereignty.

Users can run their bundlers alongside gateway node software, ensuring greater control and customization of their data transactions.

Turbo Bundler: Leading the Ecosystem

The latest version of AR.IO's gateway node software includes the Turbo bundler, which leads the Arweave ecosystem in bundled data uploads.

This bundler is designed to handle various data types, making the process smooth and efficient. For example, an educational dApp can upload different file types such as JSON, JPEG, WAV, and PDF files simultaneously, thanks to the integrated bundler.

Benefits of Bundling

Bundling offers several key advantages:

• Scaling: By consolidating multiple transactions, AR.IO gateways can handle higher volumes of data, allowing for gigabytes of data to be stored in a single transaction.

• Reliability: Bundled transactions minimize the risk of individual file failures.

• Cost Savings: Transaction fees are reduced by combining multiple transactions into one.

• Flexible Payment Options: Bundlers enable flexibility in how to pay for uploads: from fiat to crypto.

Conclusion

The latest gateway upgrade with bundling significantly enhances AR.IO's capabilities, making it a one-stop shop for data access on Arweave. It opens up true data sovereignty and control, allowing users to create their own data management systems without relying on external services. With the permissionless permaweb now within reach, bundling combined with AR.IO gateways offers scalability, efficiency, reliability, and cost savings, revolutionizing how data is managed on Arweave.