> <@jonathan444:matrix.org> Is it true that IPFS is initially not a distributed storage by default until some other node finds a hash and decides to pin/cache the file?
> 
> For example, if I run a node along with 8000 other peers in swarm, and then I add a file using ipfs add, that file is still only on my node right? So if my ipfs node is down, file cannot be retrieved from other node's gateway right?

it's never *inherently* distributed storage, as there are absolutely no guarantees that data will be kept for any amount of time. You'd use something like a pinning service or Filecoin to guarantee storage on the network