Pinata API

Name: Pinata API
Brand: Pinata API
Availability: InStock

★ Only Publicly Available OpenAPI DocumentStorageObject Storagebearer45 EndpointsREST

For Agents

Upload files to IPFS, manage content through groups and metadata, retrieve files via gateways, and implement access controls for decentralized storage.

Install Jentic One Beta

Connect the Pinata API to your agent

Jentic One is a self-hosted execution layer for AI agents. It lets your agent call the Pinata API, or any other public or private API you need. You set the rules, the agent never sees your credentials, and every call is logged.

Two steps, two machines. Install the instance in a safe environment, then register your agent from wherever it runs.

Step 1: Jentic One Host machine

# On the machine that will host your Jentic One instance:
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fpinata.cloud%2Fpinata" | sh

Step 2: Agent machine

# On the machine where your agent runs (keep this separate from the instance):
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fpinata.cloud%2Fpinata" | sh
jentic register       # connects your agent to your Jentic One instance

Jentic One is in public beta. The setup above keeps your agent separate from the instance, which is what you want before using real credentials: an agent running as the same OS user as Jentic One can read its stored keys directly. Just evaluating? A single local install is fine to start. See the secure deployment guide for the tiers.

Capabilities

What an agent can do with Pinata API.

Upload files to IPFS in multiple formats including direct files, base64, JSON, and from URLs

Organize and manage files through groups with add, remove, and bulk operations

Create and configure dedicated IPFS gateways with custom domains and CDN capabilities

GET STARTED

Start building with Pinata API

Explore with Jentic One

View OpenAPI Document

Pinata is an IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) infrastructure platform that simplifies decentralized file storage and content delivery for developers. The API exposes comprehensive controls for uploading files, managing content through groups and metadata, retrieving files via dedicated IPFS gateways with custom domains, and implementing access controls. It serves as a fully-managed IPFS pinning service that eliminates infrastructure complexity while providing enterprise features like image optimization, analytics, NFT backup capabilities, and payment-gated content through the x402 protocol. Through Jentic, developers can integrate IPFS storage into AI agents and applications without managing keys, nodes, or gateway infrastructure.

Use Cases

Patterns agents use Pinata API for, with concrete tasks.

★ Decentralized NFT Media Storage

Store NFT images, videos, and metadata on IPFS through Pinata's API to ensure permanent, decentralized availability. The API handles file uploads, generates content-addressed CIDs for immutable references in smart contracts, and provides dedicated gateways with custom domains for fast retrieval. Groups organize collections by project or drop, while the NFT backup feature automatically syncs wallet collections to prevent content loss from other pinning services going offline.

POST /v3/files to upload NFT image, capture the returned CID, then POST /groups to create a collection group and add the file ID. Use the CID in smart contract metadata and retrieve via the dedicated gateway URL.

Content-Addressable Application Storage

Build applications with verifiable, immutable file storage where content is addressed by cryptographic hash rather than location. Upload user files, documents, or media through Pinata's API and retrieve them via CID-based URLs that guarantee content authenticity. The gateway system provides global CDN distribution with optional access controls, image optimization, and custom domains. Metadata queries and group organization enable efficient content discovery without traditional database dependencies.

Upload file via POST /v3/files/public with metadata tags, store the returned CID and file ID in application database, then construct gateway URL https://{gateway-domain}/ipfs/{cid} for content delivery with optional image transformation parameters.

Private File Sharing with Time-Limited Access

Implement secure file sharing where uploaded files remain private by default and are accessed through cryptographically-signed URLs that expire after a specified duration. The API generates temporary access tokens that grant download permissions without exposing the underlying IPFS CID or requiring user authentication. Gateway access controls can further restrict retrieval to specific IP ranges or API keys, while signed URL generation handles the temporary permission logic.

Upload private file via POST /v3/files with network set to private, then call POST /v3/files/sign to generate a signed URL with expires parameter set to desired duration. Share the signed URL which grants temporary access without authentication.

Payment-Gated Content Distribution

Monetize digital content by requiring cryptocurrency micropayments for access using Pinata's x402 protocol integration. Upload files as private content, create payment instructions specifying the cryptocurrency amount and recipient address, then associate files with these payment requirements. When users attempt to retrieve content via the gateway, they must provide a payment proof that satisfies the instruction before the file is delivered. This enables pay-per-access models for media, datasets, APIs, or digital goods without subscription complexity.

Upload content via POST /v3/files with private network, create payment instruction via POST /v3/x402/payment_instructions specifying amount and crypto address, then associate file CID with payment instruction. Retrieval requests to gateway must include valid payment proof header.

Key Endpoints

45 endpoints — pinata is an ipfs (interplanetary file system) infrastructure platform that simplifies decentralized file storage and content delivery for developers.

METHOD

PATH

DESCRIPTION

POST

/v3/files

Upload a file to IPFS and receive its CID

GET

/v3/files

List files with filtering by name, group, CID, or metadata

DELETE

/v3/files/{id}

Delete a file by its unique identifier

POST

/groups

Create a new file group for organization

POST

/groups/{groupId}/files/{fileId}

Add a file to a group

POST

/v3/files/sign

Generate a signed URL for temporary file access

POST

/pinning/pinByHash

Pin an existing IPFS CID to ensure availability

GET

/data/testAuthentication

Test API authentication and verify credentials

POST

/users/generateApiKey

Create a new API key with scoped permissions

GET

/v3/ipfs/gateway_analytics

Retrieve gateway usage analytics and metrics

POST

/v3/files

Upload a file to IPFS and receive its CID

GET

/v3/files

List files with filtering by name, group, CID, or metadata

DELETE

/v3/files/{id}

Delete a file by its unique identifier

POST

/groups

Create a new file group for organization

POST

/groups/{groupId}/files/{fileId}

Add a file to a group

Why Jentic?

What agents get from Jentic-routed access to this vendor.

Setup

Wiring the Pinata API by hand means setting up its JWT bearer auth and coding each IPFS file upload, group, signed-URL, and pin-by-hash call yourself. Through Jentic you install once, import Pinata from the API Directory, store the JWT once, and your agent calls it.

Permission scoping

Pinata puts the file and group id in the URL path (/v3/files/{id}, /groups/{groupId}), so a rule can pin your agent to one group and the files in it: it can upload files and add them to that group. You choose the operations it may call, so deleting a file or generating a new API key is not included unless you add it.

Credential isolation

Your Pinata JWT is stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected as the bearer header at execution time. It never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.

Intent-based discovery

Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'upload a file to IPFS' or 'create a signed URL for private content', and Jentic returns the matching Pinata operation with its input schema and gateway options so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.

FAQs

Specific to using Pinata API through Jentic.

What authentication does the Pinata API use?

Pinata uses JWT (JSON Web Token) authentication sent as a Bearer token in the Authorization header. When you create an API key in the dashboard, you receive a JWT that should be included as 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT' on every request. Through Jentic, the JWT is stored encrypted and injected at execution time so it never appears in agent context.

What is the difference between api.pinata.cloud and uploads.pinata.cloud?

api.pinata.cloud is the base URL for most API operations including authentication, groups, keys, and analytics. uploads.pinata.cloud/v3/files is the specialized endpoint for file upload operations. Both require the same JWT Bearer authentication and are part of the unified Pinata API surface.

How do I retrieve files after uploading them to Pinata?

After uploading, you receive a CID (content identifier) in the response. Files are retrieved via your dedicated gateway domain using the URL pattern: https://your-gateway.mypinata.cloud/ipfs/{CID}. You can configure custom domains, apply image transformations as query parameters, and implement access controls at the gateway level.

Can I use Pinata to pin existing IPFS content that wasn't uploaded through Pinata?

Yes. The POST /pinning/pinByHash endpoint accepts any IPFS CID and pins that content to Pinata's infrastructure. This ensures the content remains available even if the original source goes offline. This is particularly useful for backing up NFT collections or ensuring availability of content pinned elsewhere.

What are the rate limits and pricing for the Pinata API?

Pinata offers a free tier with 500 pinned files and 1GB storage. Paid plans scale based on storage capacity and bandwidth usage. The API does not publish specific rate limits in the documentation, but the service is designed to handle production workloads. Monitor your usage through the analytics endpoints and dashboard.

How does Pinata handle file privacy and access control?

Files can be uploaded as either public or private. Private files are not accessible through the gateway without signed URLs or proper authentication. You can implement IP-based restrictions, host origin filtering, API key requirements, and generate time-limited signed URLs for temporary access. The x402 payment protocol adds cryptocurrency payment gates for monetized content.

Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the Pinata API?

Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which Pinata operations and credentials the agent may use, and Pinata puts the file and group id right in the URL path (/v3/files/{id}, /groups/{groupId}), so you can pin the agent to a single group. With that scope it can upload files and add them to that group while operations you leave out, such as deleting a file with DELETE /v3/files/{id} or minting a new key via POST /users/generateApiKey, stay off limits until you grant them. You pick the exact endpoints it can call, and its stored JWT is injected only for those.

Pinata API

Connect the Pinata API to your agent

Capabilities

Start building with Pinata API

Use Cases

Key Endpoints

Why Jentic?

Related APIs

FAQs