bored ape nft

A version of the code I will be using can be found in this GitHub repository.

Here is a YouTube video I posted about creating NFTs.

Most conversations about NFTs focus on digital art, profile pictures, or speculative investing. Those examples attract attention, but they don’t explain why the technology deserves the attention of data professionals.

In recent SQLSaturday presentation, I showed how to mint an NFT using IPFS and the Sepolia Ethereum test network. The goal was not to create a collectible. The goal was to demonstrate a practical workflow built from technologies that solve real data problems.

What an NFT Really Is

An NFT is a unique digital record stored on a blockchain. The token does not usually contain the digital asset itself. Instead, it points to metadata describing the asset and, in many cases, to a file stored in a decentralized storage system such as IPFS.

Thinking about NFTs this way changes the discussion. The value is less about ownership of a picture and more about creating a verifiable chain of information.

The Architecture

During the demonstration, we walked through a complete workflow.

  1. Store the digital asset in IPFS.
  2. Create metadata describing the asset.
  3. Upload the metadata.
  4. Mint an NFT that references the metadata.
  5. Verify the transaction on the blockchain.

Each step leaves an auditable trail. That combination of storage, metadata, and immutable transactions is what makes the architecture interesting.

{
    "name": "ISDS 4111 Certificate - Spring 2026",
    "description": "Awarded to [Student Name]",
    "image": "https://gateway.pinata.cloud/ipfs/<CID>",
    "attributes": [
      {"trait_type": "Course", "value": "ISDS 4111"},
      {"trait_type": "Professor", "value": "Dr. James Davis"},
      {"trait_type": "Completion Date", "value": "2026-05-01"}
    ]
}

// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;

import "@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC721/extensions/ERC721URIStorage.sol";
import "@openzeppelin/contracts/access/Ownable.sol";

contract CertNFT is ERC721URIStorage, Ownable {
    uint256 private _tokenCounter;

    // Using `_msgSender()` will set the deployer as the initial owner.
    constructor() ERC721("ISDS4111NFT", "ISDS4111") Ownable(_msgSender()) {
        _tokenCounter = 0;
    }

    function mintNFT(address recipient, string memory tokenURI) public onlyOwner returns (uint256)
    {
        uint256 newTokenId = _tokenCounter;
        _safeMint(recipient, newTokenId);
        _setTokenURI(newTokenId, tokenURI);

        _tokenCounter += 1;
        return newTokenId;
    }

    function getCurrentTokenId() public view returns (uint256) {
        return _tokenCounter;
    }
}

Why Data Professionals Should Care

Data teams spend a great deal of time answering questions such as:

  • Where did this information originate?
  • Has it been modified?
  • Who owns it?
  • Can someone independently verify it?

NFTs do not solve every data management problem, but they provide another tool for situations where provenance and trust matter.

Practical Business Uses

The business value extends well beyond collectibles.

  • Digital certificates and credentials
  • Supply-chain traceability
  • Software licensing
  • Digital twins
  • Permanent records with verifiable ownership

These use cases emphasize data integrity instead of speculation.

Final Thoughts

The next time someone dismisses NFTs as expensive JPEGs, remember that the collectible is only one application. The more interesting story is the architecture. Combining blockchain, decentralized storage, metadata, and smart contracts creates a repeatable pattern for establishing provenance and trust.

Understanding that architecture gives data professionals another way to think about solving business problems.