diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 225eeae7..1d997e89 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ follow:
 
 check:
 	go vet ./...
-	staticcheck ./...
+	staticcheck --checks all ./...
 
 test:
 	go test -v ./...
diff --git a/adder/adder.go b/adder/adder.go
index 1d5cc637..6b93656e 100644
--- a/adder/adder.go
+++ b/adder/adder.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ type ClusterDAGService interface {
 	ipld.DAGService
 	// Finalize receives the IPFS content root CID as
 	// returned by the ipfs adder.
-	Finalize(ctx context.Context, ipfsRoot cid.Cid) (cid.Cid, error)
+	Finalize(ctx context.Context, ipfsRoot api.Cid) (api.Cid, error)
 	// Allocations returns the allocations made by the cluster DAG service
 	// for the added content.
 	Allocations() []peer.ID
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ type ClusterDAGService interface {
 // A dagFormatter can create dags from files.Node. It can keep state
 // to add several files to the same dag.
 type dagFormatter interface {
-	Add(name string, f files.Node) (cid.Cid, error)
+	Add(name string, f files.Node) (api.Cid, error)
 }
 
 // Adder is used to add content to IPFS Cluster using an implementation of
@@ -103,12 +103,12 @@ func (a *Adder) setContext(ctx context.Context) {
 
 // FromMultipart adds content from a multipart.Reader. The adder will
 // no longer be usable after calling this method.
-func (a *Adder) FromMultipart(ctx context.Context, r *multipart.Reader) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (a *Adder) FromMultipart(ctx context.Context, r *multipart.Reader) (api.Cid, error) {
 	logger.Debugf("adding from multipart with params: %+v", a.params)
 
 	f, err := files.NewFileFromPartReader(r, "multipart/form-data")
 	if err != nil {
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 	return a.FromFiles(ctx, f)
@@ -116,12 +116,12 @@ func (a *Adder) FromMultipart(ctx context.Context, r *multipart.Reader) (cid.Cid
 
 // FromFiles adds content from a files.Directory. The adder will no longer
 // be usable after calling this method.
-func (a *Adder) FromFiles(ctx context.Context, f files.Directory) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (a *Adder) FromFiles(ctx context.Context, f files.Directory) (api.Cid, error) {
 	logger.Debug("adding from files")
 	a.setContext(ctx)
 
 	if a.ctx.Err() != nil { // don't allow running twice
-		return cid.Undef, a.ctx.Err()
+		return api.CidUndef, a.ctx.Err()
 	}
 
 	defer a.cancel()
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func (a *Adder) FromFiles(ctx context.Context, f files.Directory) (cid.Cid, erro
 		err = errors.New("bad dag formatter option")
 	}
 	if err != nil {
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 
 	// setup wrapping
@@ -150,18 +150,18 @@ func (a *Adder) FromFiles(ctx context.Context, f files.Directory) (cid.Cid, erro
 	}
 
 	it := f.Entries()
-	var adderRoot cid.Cid
+	var adderRoot api.Cid
 	for it.Next() {
 		select {
 		case <-a.ctx.Done():
-			return cid.Undef, a.ctx.Err()
+			return api.CidUndef, a.ctx.Err()
 		default:
 			logger.Debugf("ipfsAdder AddFile(%s)", it.Name())
 
 			adderRoot, err = dagFmtr.Add(it.Name(), it.Node())
 			if err != nil {
 				logger.Error("error adding to cluster: ", err)
-				return cid.Undef, err
+				return api.CidUndef, err
 			}
 		}
 		// TODO (hector): We can only add a single CAR file for the
@@ -171,13 +171,13 @@ func (a *Adder) FromFiles(ctx context.Context, f files.Directory) (cid.Cid, erro
 		}
 	}
 	if it.Err() != nil {
-		return cid.Undef, it.Err()
+		return api.CidUndef, it.Err()
 	}
 
 	clusterRoot, err := a.dgs.Finalize(a.ctx, adderRoot)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Error("error finalizing adder:", err)
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 	logger.Infof("%s successfully added to cluster", clusterRoot)
 	return clusterRoot, nil
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ func newIpfsAdder(ctx context.Context, dgs ClusterDAGService, params api.AddPara
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (ia *ipfsAdder) Add(name string, f files.Node) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (ia *ipfsAdder) Add(name string, f files.Node) (api.Cid, error) {
 	// In order to set the AddedOutput names right, we use
 	// OutputPrefix:
 	//
@@ -239,9 +239,9 @@ func (ia *ipfsAdder) Add(name string, f files.Node) (cid.Cid, error) {
 
 	nd, err := ia.AddAllAndPin(f)
 	if err != nil {
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
-	return nd.Cid(), nil
+	return api.NewCid(nd.Cid()), nil
 }
 
 // An adder to add CAR files. It is at the moment very basic, and can
@@ -267,22 +267,22 @@ func newCarAdder(ctx context.Context, dgs ClusterDAGService, params api.AddParam
 
 // Add takes a node which should be a CAR file and nothing else and
 // adds its blocks using the ClusterDAGService.
-func (ca *carAdder) Add(name string, fn files.Node) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (ca *carAdder) Add(name string, fn files.Node) (api.Cid, error) {
 	if ca.params.Wrap {
-		return cid.Undef, errors.New("cannot wrap a CAR file upload")
+		return api.CidUndef, errors.New("cannot wrap a CAR file upload")
 	}
 
 	f, ok := fn.(files.File)
 	if !ok {
-		return cid.Undef, errors.New("expected CAR file is not of type file")
+		return api.CidUndef, errors.New("expected CAR file is not of type file")
 	}
 	carReader, err := car.NewCarReader(f)
 	if err != nil {
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 
 	if len(carReader.Header.Roots) != 1 {
-		return cid.Undef, errors.New("only CAR files with a single root are supported")
+		return api.CidUndef, errors.New("only CAR files with a single root are supported")
 	}
 
 	root := carReader.Header.Roots[0]
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ func (ca *carAdder) Add(name string, fn files.Node) (cid.Cid, error) {
 	for {
 		block, err := carReader.Next()
 		if err != nil && err != io.EOF {
-			return cid.Undef, err
+			return api.CidUndef, err
 		} else if block == nil {
 			break
 		}
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ func (ca *carAdder) Add(name string, fn files.Node) (cid.Cid, error) {
 
 		nd, err := ipld.Decode(block)
 		if err != nil {
-			return cid.Undef, err
+			return api.CidUndef, err
 		}
 
 		// If the root is in the CAR and the root is a UnixFS
@@ -315,17 +315,17 @@ func (ca *carAdder) Add(name string, fn files.Node) (cid.Cid, error) {
 
 		err = ca.dgs.Add(ca.ctx, nd)
 		if err != nil {
-			return cid.Undef, err
+			return api.CidUndef, err
 		}
 	}
 
 	ca.output <- api.AddedOutput{
 		Name:        name,
-		Cid:         root,
+		Cid:         api.NewCid(root),
 		Bytes:       bytes,
 		Size:        size,
 		Allocations: ca.dgs.Allocations(),
 	}
 
-	return root, nil
+	return api.NewCid(root), nil
 }
diff --git a/adder/adder_test.go b/adder/adder_test.go
index 7d9383ae..61d39984 100644
--- a/adder/adder_test.go
+++ b/adder/adder_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func newMockCDAGServ() *mockCDAGServ {
 }
 
 // noop
-func (dag *mockCDAGServ) Finalize(ctx context.Context, root cid.Cid) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (dag *mockCDAGServ) Finalize(ctx context.Context, root api.Cid) (api.Cid, error) {
 	return root, nil
 }
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func TestAdder_CAR(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	var carBuf bytes.Buffer
-	err = car.WriteCar(ctx, dags, []cid.Cid{root}, &carBuf)
+	err = car.WriteCar(ctx, dags, []cid.Cid{root.Cid}, &carBuf)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/adder/adderutils/adderutils.go b/adder/adderutils/adderutils.go
index 94c98d06..0a181d91 100644
--- a/adder/adderutils/adderutils.go
+++ b/adder/adderutils/adderutils.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/adder/single"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
 )
@@ -31,7 +30,7 @@ func AddMultipartHTTPHandler(
 	reader *multipart.Reader,
 	w http.ResponseWriter,
 	outputTransform func(api.AddedOutput) interface{},
-) (cid.Cid, error) {
+) (api.Cid, error) {
 	var dags adder.ClusterDAGService
 	output := make(chan api.AddedOutput, 200)
 
diff --git a/adder/ipfsadd/add.go b/adder/ipfsadd/add.go
index 31e617de..f25c3f77 100644
--- a/adder/ipfsadd/add.go
+++ b/adder/ipfsadd/add.go
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ func (adder *Adder) outputDagnode(out chan api.AddedOutput, name string, dn ipld
 	name = filepath.Join(adder.OutputPrefix, name)
 
 	out <- api.AddedOutput{
-		Cid:         dn.Cid(),
+		Cid:         api.NewCid(dn.Cid()),
 		Name:        name,
 		Size:        s,
 		Allocations: adder.allocsFun(),
diff --git a/adder/sharding/dag_service.go b/adder/sharding/dag_service.go
index 0ffe971d..da343478 100644
--- a/adder/sharding/dag_service.go
+++ b/adder/sharding/dag_service.go
@@ -79,13 +79,13 @@ func (dgs *DAGService) Add(ctx context.Context, node ipld.Node) error {
 
 // Finalize finishes sharding, creates the cluster DAG and pins it along
 // with the meta pin for the root node of the content.
-func (dgs *DAGService) Finalize(ctx context.Context, dataRoot cid.Cid) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (dgs *DAGService) Finalize(ctx context.Context, dataRoot api.Cid) (api.Cid, error) {
 	lastCid, err := dgs.flushCurrentShard(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return lastCid, err
+		return api.NewCid(lastCid), err
 	}
 
-	if !lastCid.Equals(dataRoot) {
+	if !lastCid.Equals(dataRoot.Cid) {
 		logger.Warnf("the last added CID (%s) is not the IPFS data root (%s). This is only normal when adding a single file without wrapping in directory.", lastCid, dataRoot)
 	}
 
@@ -124,13 +124,13 @@ func (dgs *DAGService) Finalize(ctx context.Context, dataRoot cid.Cid) (cid.Cid,
 
 	dgs.sendOutput(api.AddedOutput{
 		Name:        fmt.Sprintf("%s-clusterDAG", dgs.addParams.Name),
-		Cid:         clusterDAG,
+		Cid:         api.NewCid(clusterDAG),
 		Size:        dgs.totalSize,
 		Allocations: nil,
 	})
 
 	// Pin the ClusterDAG
-	clusterDAGPin := api.PinWithOpts(clusterDAG, dgs.addParams.PinOptions)
+	clusterDAGPin := api.PinWithOpts(api.NewCid(clusterDAG), dgs.addParams.PinOptions)
 	clusterDAGPin.ReplicationFactorMin = -1
 	clusterDAGPin.ReplicationFactorMax = -1
 	clusterDAGPin.MaxDepth = 0 // pin direct
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@ func (dgs *DAGService) Finalize(ctx context.Context, dataRoot cid.Cid) (cid.Cid,
 	// Pin the META pin
 	metaPin := api.PinWithOpts(dataRoot, dgs.addParams.PinOptions)
 	metaPin.Type = api.MetaType
-	metaPin.Reference = &clusterDAG
+	ref := api.NewCid(clusterDAG)
+	metaPin.Reference = &ref
 	metaPin.MaxDepth = 0 // irrelevant. Meta-pins are not pinned
 	err = adder.Pin(ctx, dgs.rpcClient, metaPin)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ func (dgs *DAGService) ingestBlock(ctx context.Context, n ipld.Node) error {
 	return dgs.ingestBlock(ctx, n) // <-- retry ingest
 }
 
-func (dgs *DAGService) logStats(metaPin, clusterDAGPin cid.Cid) {
+func (dgs *DAGService) logStats(metaPin, clusterDAGPin api.Cid) {
 	duration := time.Since(dgs.startTime)
 	seconds := uint64(duration) / uint64(time.Second)
 	var rate string
@@ -294,7 +295,7 @@ func (dgs *DAGService) flushCurrentShard(ctx context.Context) (cid.Cid, error) {
 	dgs.currentShard = nil
 	dgs.sendOutput(api.AddedOutput{
 		Name:        fmt.Sprintf("shard-%d", lens),
-		Cid:         shardCid,
+		Cid:         api.NewCid(shardCid),
 		Size:        shard.Size(),
 		Allocations: shard.Allocations(),
 	})
diff --git a/adder/sharding/dag_service_test.go b/adder/sharding/dag_service_test.go
index fcb52293..2128e456 100644
--- a/adder/sharding/dag_service_test.go
+++ b/adder/sharding/dag_service_test.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ func (rpcs *testRPC) BlockAllocate(ctx context.Context, in api.Pin, out *[]peer.
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (rpcs *testRPC) PinGet(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (rpcs *testRPC) PinGet(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	pI, ok := rpcs.pins.Load(c.String())
 	if !ok {
 		return api.Pin{}, errors.New("not found")
@@ -59,7 +58,7 @@ func (rpcs *testRPC) PinGet(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	return pI.(api.Pin), nil
 }
 
-func (rpcs *testRPC) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) ([]byte, error) {
+func (rpcs *testRPC) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) ([]byte, error) {
 	bI, ok := rpcs.blocks.Load(c.String())
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, errors.New("not found")
diff --git a/adder/sharding/shard.go b/adder/sharding/shard.go
index cd3d5549..cb1ae37c 100644
--- a/adder/sharding/shard.go
+++ b/adder/sharding/shard.go
@@ -122,12 +122,13 @@ func (sh *shard) Flush(ctx context.Context, shardN int, prev cid.Cid) (cid.Cid,
 	}
 
 	rootCid := nodes[0].Cid()
-	pin := api.PinWithOpts(rootCid, sh.pinOptions)
+	pin := api.PinWithOpts(api.NewCid(rootCid), sh.pinOptions)
 	pin.Name = fmt.Sprintf("%s-shard-%d", sh.pinOptions.Name, shardN)
 	// this sets allocations as priority allocation
 	pin.Allocations = sh.allocations
 	pin.Type = api.ShardType
-	pin.Reference = &prev
+	ref := api.NewCid(prev)
+	pin.Reference = &ref
 	pin.MaxDepth = 1
 	pin.ShardSize = sh.Size()           // use current size, not the limit
 	if len(nodes) > len(sh.dagNode)+1 { // using an indirect graph
diff --git a/adder/sharding/verify.go b/adder/sharding/verify.go
index 24a506cd..a588669c 100644
--- a/adder/sharding/verify.go
+++ b/adder/sharding/verify.go
@@ -7,26 +7,24 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
-
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 )
 
 // MockPinStore is used in VerifyShards
 type MockPinStore interface {
 	// Gets a pin
-	PinGet(context.Context, cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
+	PinGet(context.Context, api.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
 }
 
 // MockBlockStore is used in VerifyShards
 type MockBlockStore interface {
 	// Gets a block
-	BlockGet(context.Context, cid.Cid) ([]byte, error)
+	BlockGet(context.Context, api.Cid) ([]byte, error)
 }
 
 // VerifyShards checks that a sharded CID has been correctly formed and stored.
 // This is a helper function for testing. It returns a map with all the blocks
 // from all shards.
-func VerifyShards(t *testing.T, rootCid cid.Cid, pins MockPinStore, ipfs MockBlockStore, expectedShards int) (map[string]struct{}, error) {
+func VerifyShards(t *testing.T, rootCid api.Cid, pins MockPinStore, ipfs MockBlockStore, expectedShards int) (map[string]struct{}, error) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	metaPin, err := pins.PinGet(ctx, rootCid)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@ func VerifyShards(t *testing.T, rootCid cid.Cid, pins MockPinStore, ipfs MockBlo
 	}
 
 	shardBlocks := make(map[string]struct{})
-	var ref cid.Cid
+	var ref api.Cid
 	// traverse shards in order
 	for i := 0; i < len(shards); i++ {
 		sh, _, err := clusterDAGNode.ResolveLink([]string{fmt.Sprintf("%d", i)})
@@ -77,12 +75,12 @@ func VerifyShards(t *testing.T, rootCid cid.Cid, pins MockPinStore, ipfs MockBlo
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		shardPin, err := pins.PinGet(ctx, sh.Cid)
+		shardPin, err := pins.PinGet(ctx, api.NewCid(sh.Cid))
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("shard was not pinned: %s %s", sh.Cid, err)
 		}
 
-		if ref != cid.Undef && !shardPin.Reference.Equals(ref) {
+		if ref != api.CidUndef && !shardPin.Reference.Equals(ref) {
 			t.Errorf("Ref (%s) should point to previous shard (%s)", ref, shardPin.Reference)
 		}
 		ref = shardPin.Cid
diff --git a/adder/single/dag_service.go b/adder/single/dag_service.go
index 13b5b9cb..005fd186 100644
--- a/adder/single/dag_service.go
+++ b/adder/single/dag_service.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func (dgs *DAGService) Add(ctx context.Context, node ipld.Node) error {
 }
 
 // Finalize pins the last Cid added to this DAGService.
-func (dgs *DAGService) Finalize(ctx context.Context, root cid.Cid) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (dgs *DAGService) Finalize(ctx context.Context, root api.Cid) (api.Cid, error) {
 	close(dgs.blocks)
 
 	select {
diff --git a/adder/util.go b/adder/util.go
index 26ad48ca..f647468a 100644
--- a/adder/util.go
+++ b/adder/util.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func IpldNodeToNodeWithMeta(n ipld.Node) api.NodeWithMeta {
 	}
 
 	return api.NodeWithMeta{
-		Cid:     n.Cid(),
+		Cid:     api.NewCid(n.Cid()),
 		Data:    n.RawData(),
 		CumSize: size,
 	}
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func BlockAllocate(ctx context.Context, rpc *rpc.Client, pinOpts api.PinOptions)
 		"",
 		"Cluster",
 		"BlockAllocate",
-		api.PinWithOpts(cid.Undef, pinOpts),
+		api.PinWithOpts(api.CidUndef, pinOpts),
 		&allocsStr,
 	)
 	return allocsStr, err
diff --git a/allocate.go b/allocate.go
index 2a632271..8efeccab 100644
--- a/allocate.go
+++ b/allocate.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 
 	"go.opencensus.io/trace"
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ type classifiedMetrics struct {
 // into account if the given CID was previously in a "pin everywhere" mode,
 // and will consider such Pins as currently unallocated ones, providing
 // new allocations as available.
-func (c *Cluster) allocate(ctx context.Context, hash cid.Cid, currentPin api.Pin, rplMin, rplMax int, blacklist []peer.ID, priorityList []peer.ID) ([]peer.ID, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) allocate(ctx context.Context, hash api.Cid, currentPin api.Pin, rplMin, rplMax int, blacklist []peer.ID, priorityList []peer.ID) ([]peer.ID, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/allocate")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -180,7 +179,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) filterMetrics(ctx context.Context, mSet api.MetricsSet, numMet
 }
 
 // allocationError logs an allocation error
-func allocationError(hash cid.Cid, needed, wanted int, candidatesValid []peer.ID) error {
+func allocationError(hash api.Cid, needed, wanted int, candidatesValid []peer.ID) error {
 	logger.Errorf("Not enough candidates to allocate %s:", hash)
 	logger.Errorf("  Needed: %d", needed)
 	logger.Errorf("  Wanted: %d", wanted)
@@ -198,7 +197,7 @@ func allocationError(hash cid.Cid, needed, wanted int, candidatesValid []peer.ID
 
 func (c *Cluster) obtainAllocations(
 	ctx context.Context,
-	hash cid.Cid,
+	hash api.Cid,
 	rplMin, rplMax int,
 	metrics classifiedMetrics,
 ) ([]peer.ID, error) {
diff --git a/allocator/balanced/balanced.go b/allocator/balanced/balanced.go
index 4a573e1b..83c408a5 100644
--- a/allocator/balanced/balanced.go
+++ b/allocator/balanced/balanced.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sort"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	api "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
@@ -254,7 +253,7 @@ func (pnedm *partitionedMetric) chooseNext() peer.ID {
 //   - Third, based on the AllocateBy order, it select the first metric
 func (a *Allocator) Allocate(
 	ctx context.Context,
-	c cid.Cid,
+	c api.Cid,
 	current, candidates, priority api.MetricsSet,
 ) ([]peer.ID, error) {
 
diff --git a/api/add.go b/api/add.go
index fceea629..b0dcd782 100644
--- a/api/add.go
+++ b/api/add.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ var DefaultShardSize = uint64(100 * 1024 * 1024) // 100 MB
 // indicating a node of a file has been added.
 type AddedOutput struct {
 	Name        string    `json:"name" codec:"n,omitempty"`
-	Cid         cid.Cid   `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
+	Cid         Cid       `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
 	Bytes       uint64    `json:"bytes,omitempty" codec:"b,omitempty"`
 	Size        uint64    `json:"size,omitempty" codec:"s,omitempty"`
 	Allocations []peer.ID `json:"allocations,omitempty" codec:"a,omitempty"`
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func AddParamsFromQuery(query url.Values) (AddParams, error) {
 		return params, err
 	}
 	params.PinOptions = *opts
-	params.PinUpdate = cid.Undef // hardcode as does not make sense for adding
+	params.PinUpdate.Cid = cid.Undef // hardcode as does not make sense for adding
 
 	layout := query.Get("layout")
 	switch layout {
diff --git a/api/common/api.go b/api/common/api.go
index 094c439c..79cddbfa 100644
--- a/api/common/api.go
+++ b/api/common/api.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	gopath "github.com/ipfs/go-path"
 	types "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
@@ -69,8 +68,8 @@ var (
 	ErrHTTPEndpointNotEnabled = errors.New("the HTTP endpoint is not enabled")
 )
 
-// When passed to SendResponse(), it will figure out which http status
-// to set by itself.
+// SetStatusAutomatically can be passed to SendResponse(), so that it will
+// figure out which http status to set by itself.
 const SetStatusAutomatically = -1
 
 // API implements an API and aims to provides
@@ -496,12 +495,12 @@ func (api *API) ParsePinPathOrFail(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) types
 	return pinPath
 }
 
-// ParsePidOrFail parses a Cid and returns it or makes the request fail.
+// ParseCidOrFail parses a Cid and returns it or makes the request fail.
 func (api *API) ParseCidOrFail(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) types.Pin {
 	vars := mux.Vars(r)
 	hash := vars["hash"]
 
-	c, err := cid.Decode(hash)
+	c, err := types.DecodeCid(hash)
 	if err != nil {
 		api.SendResponse(w, http.StatusBadRequest, errors.New("error decoding Cid: "+err.Error()), nil)
 		return types.Pin{}
@@ -697,8 +696,8 @@ func (api *API) Headers() map[string][]string {
 	return api.config.Headers
 }
 
-// Controls the HTTP server Keep Alive settings.
-// Useful for testing.
+// SetKeepAlivesEnabled controls the HTTP server Keep Alive settings.  Useful
+// for testing.
 func (api *API) SetKeepAlivesEnabled(b bool) {
 	api.server.SetKeepAlivesEnabled(b)
 }
diff --git a/api/common/test/helpers.go b/api/common/test/helpers.go
index 833fa09c..ac0e1cd0 100644
--- a/api/common/test/helpers.go
+++ b/api/common/test/helpers.go
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func CheckHeaders(t *testing.T, expected map[string][]string, url string, header
 	}
 }
 
-// This represents what an API is to us.
+// API represents what an API is to us.
 type API interface {
 	HTTPAddresses() ([]string, error)
 	Host() host.Host
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ func BothEndpoints(t *testing.T, test Func) {
 	})
 }
 
-// HTTPSEndpoint runs the given test.Func against an HTTPs endpoint.
+// HTTPSEndPoint runs the given test.Func against an HTTPs endpoint.
 func HTTPSEndPoint(t *testing.T, test Func) {
 	t.Run("in-parallel", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run("https", func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy.go b/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy.go
index c5de02ae..592a1b77 100644
--- a/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy.go
+++ b/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy.go
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+// Package ipfsproxy implements the Cluster API interface by providing an
+// IPFS HTTP interface as exposed by the go-ipfs daemon.
+//
+// In this API, select endpoints like pin*, add*, and repo* endpoints are used
+// to instead perform cluster operations. Requests for any other endpoints are
+// passed to the underlying IPFS daemon.
 package ipfsproxy
 
 import (
@@ -396,7 +402,7 @@ func (proxy *Server) pinLsHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	if arg != "" {
-		c, err := cid.Decode(arg)
+		c, err := api.DecodeCid(arg)
 		if err != nil {
 			ipfsErrorResponder(w, err.Error(), -1)
 			return
@@ -526,7 +532,7 @@ func (proxy *Server) pinUpdateHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	// Resolve the FROM argument
-	var fromCid cid.Cid
+	var fromCid api.Cid
 	err = proxy.rpcClient.CallContext(
 		ctx,
 		"",
@@ -733,9 +739,9 @@ func (proxy *Server) repoGCHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	for _, gc := range repoGC.PeerMap {
 		for _, key := range gc.Keys {
 			if streamErrors {
-				ipfsRepoGC = ipfsRepoGCResp{Key: key.Key, Error: key.Error}
+				ipfsRepoGC = ipfsRepoGCResp{Key: key.Key.Cid, Error: key.Error}
 			} else {
-				ipfsRepoGC = ipfsRepoGCResp{Key: key.Key}
+				ipfsRepoGC = ipfsRepoGCResp{Key: key.Key.Cid}
 				if key.Error != "" {
 					mError.add(key.Error)
 				}
diff --git a/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy_test.go b/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy_test.go
index 674a3696..d112cf07 100644
--- a/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy_test.go
+++ b/api/ipfsproxy/ipfsproxy_test.go
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
-
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
@@ -100,7 +98,7 @@ func TestIPFSProxyPin(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name    string
 		args    args
-		want    cid.Cid
+		want    api.Cid
 		wantErr bool
 	}{
 		{
@@ -140,7 +138,7 @@ func TestIPFSProxyPin(t *testing.T) {
 				test.ErrorCid.String(),
 				http.StatusInternalServerError,
 			},
-			cid.Undef,
+			api.CidUndef,
 			true,
 		},
 		{
@@ -150,7 +148,7 @@ func TestIPFSProxyPin(t *testing.T) {
 				test.ErrorCid.String(),
 				http.StatusInternalServerError,
 			},
-			cid.Undef,
+			api.CidUndef,
 			true,
 		},
 	}
@@ -218,7 +216,7 @@ func TestIPFSProxyUnpin(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name    string
 		args    args
-		want    cid.Cid
+		want    api.Cid
 		wantErr bool
 	}{
 		{
@@ -258,7 +256,7 @@ func TestIPFSProxyUnpin(t *testing.T) {
 				test.ErrorCid.String(),
 				http.StatusInternalServerError,
 			},
-			cid.Undef,
+			api.CidUndef,
 			true,
 		},
 		{
@@ -268,7 +266,7 @@ func TestIPFSProxyUnpin(t *testing.T) {
 				test.ErrorCid.String(),
 				http.StatusInternalServerError,
 			},
-			cid.Undef,
+			api.CidUndef,
 			true,
 		},
 	}
@@ -583,7 +581,7 @@ func TestProxyRepoGC(t *testing.T) {
 				repoGC = append(repoGC, resp)
 			}
 
-			if !repoGC[0].Key.Equals(test.Cid1) {
+			if !repoGC[0].Key.Equals(test.Cid1.Cid) {
 				t.Errorf("expected a different cid, expected: %s, found: %s", test.Cid1, repoGC[0].Key)
 			}
 
diff --git a/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvc/pinsvc.go b/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvc/pinsvc.go
index b14f0497..3baa5043 100644
--- a/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvc/pinsvc.go
+++ b/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvc/pinsvc.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	types "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 )
 
@@ -54,7 +53,7 @@ func (pname *PinName) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 
 // Pin contains basic information about a Pin and pinning options.
 type Pin struct {
-	Cid     string            `json:"cid"` // a cid.Cid does not json properly
+	Cid     types.Cid         `json:"cid"`
 	Name    PinName           `json:"name"`
 	Origins []types.Multiaddr `json:"origins"`
 	Meta    map[string]string `json:"meta"`
@@ -62,7 +61,7 @@ type Pin struct {
 
 // Defined returns if the pinis empty (Cid not set).
 func (p Pin) Defined() bool {
-	return p.Cid != ""
+	return p.Cid.Defined()
 }
 
 // MatchesName returns in a pin status matches a name option with a given
@@ -233,7 +232,7 @@ type PinList struct {
 
 // ListOptions represents possible options given to the List endpoint.
 type ListOptions struct {
-	Cids             []cid.Cid
+	Cids             []types.Cid
 	Name             string
 	MatchingStrategy MatchingStrategy
 	Status           Status
@@ -243,11 +242,12 @@ type ListOptions struct {
 	Meta             map[string]string
 }
 
+// FromQuery parses ListOptions from url.Values.
 func (lo *ListOptions) FromQuery(q url.Values) error {
 	cidq := q.Get("cid")
 	if len(cidq) > 0 {
 		for _, cstr := range strings.Split(cidq, ",") {
-			c, err := cid.Decode(cstr)
+			c, err := types.DecodeCid(cstr)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("error decoding cid %s: %w", cstr, err)
 			}
diff --git a/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi.go b/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi.go
index 81431c67..1490cee2 100644
--- a/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi.go
+++ b/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	types "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api/common"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvc"
@@ -79,11 +78,7 @@ func svcPinToClusterPin(p pinsvc.Pin) (types.Pin, error) {
 		Metadata: p.Meta,
 		Mode:     types.PinModeRecursive,
 	}
-	c, err := cid.Decode(p.Cid)
-	if err != nil {
-		return types.Pin{}, err
-	}
-	return types.PinWithOpts(c, opts), nil
+	return types.PinWithOpts(p.Cid, opts), nil
 }
 
 func globalPinInfoToSvcPinStatus(
@@ -103,7 +98,7 @@ func globalPinInfoToSvcPinStatus(
 	status.Status = trackerStatusToSvcStatus(statusMask)
 	status.Created = gpi.Created
 	status.Pin = pinsvc.Pin{
-		Cid:     gpi.Cid.String(),
+		Cid:     gpi.Cid,
 		Name:    pinsvc.PinName(gpi.Name),
 		Origins: gpi.Origins,
 		Meta:    gpi.Metadata,
@@ -131,7 +126,7 @@ func NewAPI(ctx context.Context, cfg *Config) (*API, error) {
 	return NewAPIWithHost(ctx, cfg, nil)
 }
 
-// NewAPI creates a new REST API component using the given libp2p Host.
+// NewAPIWithHost creates a new REST API component using the given libp2p Host.
 func NewAPIWithHost(ctx context.Context, cfg *Config, h host.Host) (*API, error) {
 	api := API{
 		config: cfg,
@@ -191,13 +186,13 @@ func (api *API) parseBodyOrFail(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) pinsvc.P
 	return pin
 }
 
-func (api *API) parseRequestIDOrFail(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (cid.Cid, bool) {
+func (api *API) parseRequestIDOrFail(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (types.Cid, bool) {
 	vars := mux.Vars(r)
 	cStr, ok := vars["requestID"]
 	if !ok {
-		return cid.Undef, true
+		return types.CidUndef, true
 	}
-	c, err := cid.Decode(cStr)
+	c, err := types.DecodeCid(cStr)
 	if err != nil {
 		api.SendResponse(w, http.StatusBadRequest, errors.New("error decoding requestID: "+err.Error()), nil)
 		return c, false
@@ -233,12 +228,12 @@ func (api *API) addPin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			return
 		}
 
-		status := api.pinToSvcPinStatus(r.Context(), pin.Cid, pinObj)
+		status := api.pinToSvcPinStatus(r.Context(), pin.Cid.String(), pinObj)
 		api.SendResponse(w, common.SetStatusAutomatically, nil, status)
 	}
 }
 
-func (api *API) getPinSvcStatus(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (pinsvc.PinStatus, error) {
+func (api *API) getPinSvcStatus(ctx context.Context, c types.Cid) (pinsvc.PinStatus, error) {
 	var pinInfo types.GlobalPinInfo
 
 	err := api.rpcClient.CallContext(
@@ -318,7 +313,7 @@ func (api *API) listPins(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}()
 
 		for _, ci := range opts.Cids {
-			go func(c cid.Cid) {
+			go func(c types.Cid) {
 				defer wg.Done()
 				st, err := api.getPinSvcStatus(r.Context(), c)
 				stCh <- statusResult{st: st, err: err}
@@ -410,7 +405,7 @@ func (api *API) pinToSvcPinStatus(ctx context.Context, rID string, pin types.Pin
 		Status:    pinsvc.StatusQueued,
 		Created:   pin.Timestamp,
 		Pin: pinsvc.Pin{
-			Cid:     pin.Cid.String(),
+			Cid:     pin.Cid,
 			Name:    pinsvc.PinName(pin.Name),
 			Origins: pin.Origins,
 			Meta:    pin.Metadata,
diff --git a/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi_test.go b/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi_test.go
index fb33761e..452e4a0b 100644
--- a/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi_test.go
+++ b/api/pinsvcapi/pinsvcapi_test.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func TestAPIListEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		results := resp.Results
-		if results[0].Pin.Cid != clustertest.Cid1.String() ||
+		if !results[0].Pin.Cid.Equals(clustertest.Cid1) ||
 			results[1].Status != pinsvc.StatusPinning {
 			t.Errorf("unexpected statusAll resp: %+v", results)
 		}
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func TestAPIPinEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 	tf := func(t *testing.T, url test.URLFunc) {
 		// test normal pin
 		pin := pinsvc.Pin{
-			Cid:  clustertest.Cid3.String(),
+			Cid:  clustertest.Cid3,
 			Name: "testname",
 			Origins: []api.Multiaddr{
 				ma,
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func TestAPIPinEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 
 		var errName pinsvc.APIError
 		pin2 := pinsvc.Pin{
-			Cid:  clustertest.Cid1.String(),
+			Cid:  clustertest.Cid1,
 			Name: pinsvc.PinName(make([]byte, 256)),
 		}
 		pinJSON, err = json.Marshal(pin2)
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func TestAPIGetPinEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 		var status pinsvc.PinStatus
 		test.MakeGet(t, svcapi, url(svcapi)+"/pins/"+clustertest.Cid1.String(), &status)
 
-		if status.Pin.Cid != clustertest.Cid1.String() {
+		if !status.Pin.Cid.Equals(clustertest.Cid1) {
 			t.Error("Cid should be set")
 		}
 
diff --git a/api/rest/client/client.go b/api/rest/client/client.go
index a49f704c..f43e01ed 100644
--- a/api/rest/client/client.go
+++ b/api/rest/client/client.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	shell "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-api"
 	files "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-files"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
@@ -64,9 +63,9 @@ type Client interface {
 
 	// Pin tracks a Cid with the given replication factor and a name for
 	// human-friendliness.
-	Pin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error)
+	Pin(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error)
 	// Unpin untracks a Cid from cluster.
-	Unpin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
+	Unpin(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
 
 	// PinPath resolves given path into a cid and performs the pin operation.
 	PinPath(ctx context.Context, path string, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error)
@@ -78,21 +77,21 @@ type Client interface {
 	// and the peers that should be pinning them.
 	Allocations(ctx context.Context, filter api.PinType, out chan<- api.Pin) error
 	// Allocation returns the current allocations for a given Cid.
-	Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
+	Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
 
 	// Status returns the current ipfs state for a given Cid. If local is true,
 	// the information affects only the current peer, otherwise the information
 	// is fetched from all cluster peers.
-	Status(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error)
+	Status(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error)
 	// StatusCids status information for the requested CIDs.
-	StatusCids(ctx context.Context, cids []cid.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error
+	StatusCids(ctx context.Context, cids []api.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error
 	// StatusAll gathers Status() for all tracked items.
 	StatusAll(ctx context.Context, filter api.TrackerStatus, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error
 
 	// Recover retriggers pin or unpin ipfs operations for a Cid in error
 	// state.  If local is true, the operation is limited to the current
 	// peer, otherwise it happens on every cluster peer.
-	Recover(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error)
+	Recover(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error)
 	// RecoverAll triggers Recover() operations on all tracked items. If
 	// local is true, the operation is limited to the current peer.
 	// Otherwise, it happens everywhere.
diff --git a/api/rest/client/lbclient.go b/api/rest/client/lbclient.go
index 8ae6e2e2..2daee558 100644
--- a/api/rest/client/lbclient.go
+++ b/api/rest/client/lbclient.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"sync/atomic"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	shell "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-api"
 	files "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-files"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ func (lc *loadBalancingClient) PeerRm(ctx context.Context, id peer.ID) error {
 
 // Pin tracks a Cid with the given replication factor and a name for
 // human-friendliness.
-func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Pin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Pin(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
 	var pin api.Pin
 	call := func(c Client) error {
 		var err error
@@ -169,7 +168,7 @@ func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Pin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, opts api.Pin
 }
 
 // Unpin untracks a Cid from cluster.
-func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Unpin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Unpin(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	var pin api.Pin
 	call := func(c Client) error {
 		var err error
@@ -220,7 +219,7 @@ func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Allocations(ctx context.Context, filter api.PinTy
 }
 
 // Allocation returns the current allocations for a given Cid.
-func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	var pin api.Pin
 	call := func(c Client) error {
 		var err error
@@ -235,7 +234,7 @@ func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.
 // Status returns the current ipfs state for a given Cid. If local is true,
 // the information affects only the current peer, otherwise the information
 // is fetched from all cluster peers.
-func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Status(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
+func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Status(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
 	var pinInfo api.GlobalPinInfo
 	call := func(c Client) error {
 		var err error
@@ -250,7 +249,7 @@ func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Status(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local boo
 // StatusCids returns Status() information for the given Cids. If local is
 // true, the information affects only the current peer, otherwise the
 // information is fetched from all cluster peers.
-func (lc *loadBalancingClient) StatusCids(ctx context.Context, cids []cid.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (lc *loadBalancingClient) StatusCids(ctx context.Context, cids []api.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	call := func(c Client) error {
 		return c.StatusCids(ctx, cids, local, out)
 	}
@@ -276,7 +275,7 @@ func (lc *loadBalancingClient) StatusAll(ctx context.Context, filter api.Tracker
 // Recover retriggers pin or unpin ipfs operations for a Cid in error state.
 // If local is true, the operation is limited to the current peer, otherwise
 // it happens on every cluster peer.
-func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Recover(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
+func (lc *loadBalancingClient) Recover(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
 	var pinInfo api.GlobalPinInfo
 	call := func(c Client) error {
 		var err error
diff --git a/api/rest/client/methods.go b/api/rest/client/methods.go
index 9aa07812..9bfba5a4 100644
--- a/api/rest/client/methods.go
+++ b/api/rest/client/methods.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	files "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-files"
 	gopath "github.com/ipfs/go-path"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ func (c *defaultClient) PeerRm(ctx context.Context, id peer.ID) error {
 
 // Pin tracks a Cid with the given replication factor and a name for
 // human-friendliness.
-func (c *defaultClient) Pin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (c *defaultClient) Pin(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "client/Pin")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ func (c *defaultClient) Pin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, opts api.PinOptions
 }
 
 // Unpin untracks a Cid from cluster.
-func (c *defaultClient) Unpin(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (c *defaultClient) Unpin(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "client/Unpin")
 	defer span.End()
 	var pin api.Pin
@@ -212,7 +211,7 @@ func (c *defaultClient) Allocations(ctx context.Context, filter api.PinType, out
 }
 
 // Allocation returns the current allocations for a given Cid.
-func (c *defaultClient) Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (c *defaultClient) Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "client/Allocation")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -224,7 +223,7 @@ func (c *defaultClient) Allocation(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid) (api.Pin, er
 // Status returns the current ipfs state for a given Cid. If local is true,
 // the information affects only the current peer, otherwise the information
 // is fetched from all cluster peers.
-func (c *defaultClient) Status(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
+func (c *defaultClient) Status(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "client/Status")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -243,7 +242,7 @@ func (c *defaultClient) Status(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local bool) (api
 // StatusCids returns Status() information for the given Cids. If local is
 // true, the information affects only the current peer, otherwise the
 // information is fetched from all cluster peers.
-func (c *defaultClient) StatusCids(ctx context.Context, cids []cid.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (c *defaultClient) StatusCids(ctx context.Context, cids []api.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	return c.statusAllWithCids(ctx, api.TrackerStatusUndefined, cids, local, out)
 }
 
@@ -256,7 +255,7 @@ func (c *defaultClient) StatusAll(ctx context.Context, filter api.TrackerStatus,
 	return c.statusAllWithCids(ctx, filter, nil, local, out)
 }
 
-func (c *defaultClient) statusAllWithCids(ctx context.Context, filter api.TrackerStatus, cids []cid.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (c *defaultClient) statusAllWithCids(ctx context.Context, filter api.TrackerStatus, cids []api.Cid, local bool, out chan<- api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	defer close(out)
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "client/StatusAll")
 	defer span.End()
@@ -298,7 +297,7 @@ func (c *defaultClient) statusAllWithCids(ctx context.Context, filter api.Tracke
 // Recover retriggers pin or unpin ipfs operations for a Cid in error state.
 // If local is true, the operation is limited to the current peer, otherwise
 // it happens on every cluster peer.
-func (c *defaultClient) Recover(ctx context.Context, ci cid.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
+func (c *defaultClient) Recover(ctx context.Context, ci api.Cid, local bool) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "client/Recover")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -458,7 +457,7 @@ func WaitFor(ctx context.Context, c Client, fp StatusFilterParams) (api.GlobalPi
 // StatusFilterParams contains the parameters required
 // to filter a stream of status results.
 type StatusFilterParams struct {
-	Cid       cid.Cid
+	Cid       api.Cid
 	Local     bool // query status from the local peer only
 	Target    api.TrackerStatus
 	Limit     int // wait for N peers reaching status. 0 == all
diff --git a/api/rest/client/methods_test.go b/api/rest/client/methods_test.go
index ee68cb33..a4de9518 100644
--- a/api/rest/client/methods_test.go
+++ b/api/rest/client/methods_test.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	rest "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api/rest"
 	test "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
 	ma "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
@@ -227,7 +226,7 @@ func TestPinPath(t *testing.T) {
 
 	testF := func(t *testing.T, c Client) {
 		for _, testCase := range pathTestCases {
-			ec, _ := cid.Decode(testCase.expectedCid)
+			ec, _ := types.DecodeCid(testCase.expectedCid)
 			resultantPin := types.PinWithOpts(ec, opts)
 			p := testCase.path
 			pin, err := c.PinPath(ctx, p, opts)
@@ -351,7 +350,7 @@ func TestStatusCids(t *testing.T) {
 		out := make(chan types.GlobalPinInfo)
 
 		go func() {
-			err := c.StatusCids(ctx, []cid.Cid{test.Cid1}, false, out)
+			err := c.StatusCids(ctx, []types.Cid{test.Cid1}, false, out)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Error(err)
 			}
@@ -590,7 +589,7 @@ func (wait *waitService) Pin(ctx context.Context, in types.Pin, out *types.Pin)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (wait *waitService) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *types.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (wait *waitService) Status(ctx context.Context, in types.Cid, out *types.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	wait.l.Lock()
 	defer wait.l.Unlock()
 	if time.Now().After(wait.pinStart.Add(5 * time.Second)) { //pinned
@@ -642,7 +641,7 @@ func (wait *waitService) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *types.Glob
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (wait *waitService) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *types.Pin) error {
+func (wait *waitService) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in types.Cid, out *types.Pin) error {
 	p := types.PinCid(in)
 	p.ReplicationFactorMin = 2
 	p.ReplicationFactorMax = 3
@@ -662,7 +661,7 @@ func (wait *waitServiceUnpin) Unpin(ctx context.Context, in types.Pin, out *type
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (wait *waitServiceUnpin) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *types.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (wait *waitServiceUnpin) Status(ctx context.Context, in types.Cid, out *types.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	wait.l.Lock()
 	defer wait.l.Unlock()
 	if time.Now().After(wait.unpinStart.Add(5 * time.Second)) { //unpinned
@@ -698,7 +697,7 @@ func (wait *waitServiceUnpin) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *types
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (wait *waitServiceUnpin) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *types.Pin) error {
+func (wait *waitServiceUnpin) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in types.Cid, out *types.Pin) error {
 	return errors.New("not found")
 }
 
diff --git a/api/rest/restapi.go b/api/rest/restapi.go
index 4caee0d2..e8591c81 100644
--- a/api/rest/restapi.go
+++ b/api/rest/restapi.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/adder/adderutils"
 	types "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api/common"
@@ -611,10 +610,10 @@ func (api *API) statusCidsHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	queryValues := r.URL.Query()
 	filterCidsStr := strings.Split(queryValues.Get("cids"), ",")
-	var cids []cid.Cid
+	var cids []types.Cid
 
 	for _, cidStr := range filterCidsStr {
-		c, err := cid.Decode(cidStr)
+		c, err := types.DecodeCid(cidStr)
 		if err != nil {
 			api.SendResponse(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("error decoding Cid: %w", err), nil)
 			return
@@ -638,7 +637,7 @@ func (api *API) statusCidsHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	if local == "true" {
 		for _, ci := range cids {
-			go func(c cid.Cid) {
+			go func(c types.Cid) {
 				defer wg.Done()
 				var pinInfo types.PinInfo
 				err := api.rpcClient.CallContext(
@@ -658,7 +657,7 @@ func (api *API) statusCidsHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 	} else {
 		for _, ci := range cids {
-			go func(c cid.Cid) {
+			go func(c types.Cid) {
 				defer wg.Done()
 				var pinInfo types.GlobalPinInfo
 				err := api.rpcClient.CallContext(
diff --git a/api/rest/restapi_test.go b/api/rest/restapi_test.go
index 5d826d8e..328512be 100644
--- a/api/rest/restapi_test.go
+++ b/api/rest/restapi_test.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	test "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api/common/test"
 	clustertest "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	libp2p "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	ma "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
@@ -401,7 +400,7 @@ func TestAPIPinEndpointWithPath(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tf := func(t *testing.T, url test.URLFunc) {
 		for _, testCase := range pathTestCases[:3] {
-			c, _ := cid.Decode(testCase.expectedCid)
+			c, _ := api.DecodeCid(testCase.expectedCid)
 			resultantPin := api.PinWithOpts(
 				c,
 				testPinOpts,
diff --git a/api/types.go b/api/types.go
index 4766b93a..ca0c4599 100644
--- a/api/types.go
+++ b/api/types.go
@@ -277,33 +277,66 @@ var ipfsPinStatus2TrackerStatusMap = map[IPFSPinStatus]TrackerStatus{
 	IPFSPinStatusError:     TrackerStatusClusterError, //TODO(ajl): check suitability
 }
 
-// Cid is a CID with the MarshalJSON/UnmarshalJSON methods overwritten.
-type Cid cid.Cid
+// Cid embeds a cid.Cid with the MarshalJSON/UnmarshalJSON methods overwritten.
+type Cid struct {
+	cid.Cid
+}
 
-func (c Cid) String() string {
-	return cid.Cid(c).String()
+// CidUndef is an Undefined CID.
+var CidUndef = Cid{cid.Undef}
+
+// NewCid wraps a cid.Cid in a Cid.
+func NewCid(c cid.Cid) Cid {
+	return Cid{
+		Cid: c,
+	}
+}
+
+// DecodeCid parses a CID from its string form.
+func DecodeCid(str string) (Cid, error) {
+	c, err := cid.Decode(str)
+	return Cid{c}, err
+}
+
+// CastCid returns a CID from its bytes.
+func CastCid(bs []byte) (Cid, error) {
+	c, err := cid.Cast(bs)
+	return Cid{c}, err
 }
 
 // MarshalJSON marshals a CID as JSON as a normal CID string.
 func (c Cid) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
-	return json.Marshal(c.String())
+	if !c.Defined() {
+		return []byte("null"), nil
+	}
+	return []byte(`"` + c.String() + `"`), nil
 }
 
 // UnmarshalJSON reads a CID from its representation as JSON string.
 func (c *Cid) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
+	if string(b) == "null" {
+		*c = CidUndef
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	var cidStr string
 	err := json.Unmarshal(b, &cidStr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	cc, err := cid.Decode(cidStr)
+	cc, err := DecodeCid(cidStr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	*c = Cid(cc)
+	*c = cc
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Equals returns true if two Cids are equal.
+func (c Cid) Equals(c2 Cid) bool {
+	return c.Cid.Equals(c2.Cid)
+}
+
 // IPFSPinInfo represents an IPFS Pin, which only has a CID and type.
 // Its JSON form is what IPFS returns when querying a pinset.
 type IPFSPinInfo struct {
@@ -314,7 +347,7 @@ type IPFSPinInfo struct {
 // GlobalPinInfo contains cluster-wide status information about a tracked Cid,
 // indexed by cluster peer.
 type GlobalPinInfo struct {
-	Cid         cid.Cid           `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
+	Cid         Cid               `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
 	Name        string            `json:"name" codec:"n"`
 	Allocations []peer.ID         `json:"allocations" codec:"a,omitempty"`
 	Origins     []Multiaddr       `json:"origins" codec:"g,omitempty"`
@@ -360,7 +393,7 @@ func (gpi *GlobalPinInfo) Defined() bool {
 	return gpi.Cid.Defined()
 }
 
-// Matches returns true if one of the statuses in GlobalPinInfo matches
+// Match returns true if one of the statuses in GlobalPinInfo matches
 // the given filter.
 func (gpi GlobalPinInfo) Match(filter TrackerStatus) bool {
 	for _, pi := range gpi.PeerMap {
@@ -400,7 +433,7 @@ func (pis PinInfoShort) String() string {
 // PinInfo holds information about local pins. This is used by the Pin
 // Trackers.
 type PinInfo struct {
-	Cid         cid.Cid           `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
+	Cid         Cid               `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
 	Name        string            `json:"name" codec:"m,omitempty"`
 	Peer        peer.ID           `json:"peer" codec:"p,omitempty"`
 	Allocations []peer.ID         `json:"allocations" codec:"o,omitempty"`
@@ -709,7 +742,7 @@ type PinOptions struct {
 	UserAllocations      []peer.ID         `json:"user_allocations" codec:"ua,omitempty"`
 	ExpireAt             time.Time         `json:"expire_at" codec:"e,omitempty"`
 	Metadata             map[string]string `json:"metadata" codec:"m,omitempty"`
-	PinUpdate            cid.Cid           `json:"pin_update,omitempty" codec:"pu,omitempty"`
+	PinUpdate            Cid               `json:"pin_update,omitempty" codec:"pu,omitempty"`
 	Origins              []Multiaddr       `json:"origins" codec:"g,omitempty"`
 }
 
@@ -807,7 +840,7 @@ func (po PinOptions) ToQuery() (string, error) {
 		}
 		q.Set(fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", pinOptionsMetaPrefix, k), v)
 	}
-	if po.PinUpdate != cid.Undef {
+	if po.PinUpdate.Defined() {
 		q.Set("pin-update", po.PinUpdate.String())
 	}
 
@@ -888,7 +921,7 @@ func (po *PinOptions) FromQuery(q url.Values) error {
 
 	updateStr := q.Get("pin-update")
 	if updateStr != "" {
-		updateCid, err := cid.Decode(updateStr)
+		updateCid, err := DecodeCid(updateStr)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error decoding update option parameter: %s", err)
 		}
@@ -940,7 +973,7 @@ func (pd PinDepth) ToPinMode() PinMode {
 type Pin struct {
 	PinOptions
 
-	Cid cid.Cid `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
+	Cid Cid `json:"cid" codec:"c"`
 
 	// See PinType comments
 	Type PinType `json:"type" codec:"t,omitempty"`
@@ -957,7 +990,7 @@ type Pin struct {
 	// MetaPin it is the ClusterDAG CID. For Shards,
 	// it is the previous shard CID.
 	// When not needed the pointer is nil
-	Reference *cid.Cid `json:"reference" codec:"r,omitempty"`
+	Reference *Cid `json:"reference" codec:"r,omitempty"`
 
 	// The time that the pin was submitted to the consensus layer.
 	Timestamp time.Time `json:"timestamp" codec:"i,omitempty"`
@@ -994,7 +1027,7 @@ func (pp PinPath) Defined() bool {
 
 // PinCid is a shortcut to create a Pin only with a Cid.  Default is for pin to
 // be recursive and the pin to be of DataType.
-func PinCid(c cid.Cid) Pin {
+func PinCid(c Cid) Pin {
 	return Pin{
 		Cid:         c,
 		Type:        DataType,
@@ -1007,7 +1040,7 @@ func PinCid(c cid.Cid) Pin {
 // PinWithOpts creates a new Pin calling PinCid(c) and then sets its
 // PinOptions fields with the given options. Pin fields that are linked to
 // options are set accordingly (MaxDepth from Mode).
-func PinWithOpts(c cid.Cid, opts PinOptions) Pin {
+func PinWithOpts(c Cid, opts PinOptions) Pin {
 	p := PinCid(c)
 	p.PinOptions = opts
 	p.MaxDepth = p.Mode.ToPinDepth()
@@ -1090,9 +1123,9 @@ func (pin *Pin) ProtoUnmarshal(data []byte) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	ci, err := cid.Cast(pbPin.GetCid())
+	ci, err := CastCid(pbPin.GetCid())
 	if err != nil {
-		pin.Cid = cid.Undef
+		pin.Cid = CidUndef
 	} else {
 		pin.Cid = ci
 	}
@@ -1112,7 +1145,7 @@ func (pin *Pin) ProtoUnmarshal(data []byte) error {
 
 	pin.Allocations = allocs
 	pin.MaxDepth = PinDepth(pbPin.GetMaxDepth())
-	ref, err := cid.Cast(pbPin.GetReference())
+	ref, err := CastCid(pbPin.GetReference())
 	if err != nil {
 		pin.Reference = nil
 
@@ -1137,7 +1170,7 @@ func (pin *Pin) ProtoUnmarshal(data []byte) error {
 		pin.ExpireAt = time.Unix(int64(exp), 0)
 	}
 	pin.Metadata = opts.GetMetadata()
-	pinUpdate, err := cid.Cast(opts.GetPinUpdate())
+	pinUpdate, err := CastCid(opts.GetPinUpdate())
 	if err == nil {
 		pin.PinUpdate = pinUpdate
 	}
@@ -1230,9 +1263,9 @@ func (pin Pin) Defined() bool {
 // NodeWithMeta specifies a block of data and a set of optional metadata fields
 // carrying information about the encoded ipld node
 type NodeWithMeta struct {
-	Data    []byte  `codec:"d,omitempty"`
-	Cid     cid.Cid `codec:"c,omitempty"`
-	CumSize uint64  `codec:"s,omitempty"` // Cumulative size
+	Data    []byte `codec:"d,omitempty"`
+	Cid     Cid    `codec:"c,omitempty"`
+	CumSize uint64 `codec:"s,omitempty"` // Cumulative size
 }
 
 // Size returns how big is the block. It is different from CumSize, which
@@ -1357,8 +1390,8 @@ type IPFSRepoStat struct {
 
 // IPFSRepoGC represents the streaming response sent from repo gc API of IPFS.
 type IPFSRepoGC struct {
-	Key   cid.Cid `json:"key,omitempty" codec:"k,omitempty"`
-	Error string  `json:"error,omitempty" codec:"e,omitempty"`
+	Key   Cid    `json:"key,omitempty" codec:"k,omitempty"`
+	Error string `json:"error,omitempty" codec:"e,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // RepoGC contains garbage collected CIDs from a cluster peer's IPFS daemon.
diff --git a/api/types_test.go b/api/types_test.go
index 17c9b502..5ee3a1f3 100644
--- a/api/types_test.go
+++ b/api/types_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	multiaddr "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
 
@@ -263,7 +262,7 @@ func TestIDCodec(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestPinCodec(t *testing.T) {
-	ci, _ := cid.Decode("QmXZrtE5jQwXNqCJMfHUTQkvhQ4ZAnqMnmzFMJfLewuabc")
+	ci, _ := DecodeCid("QmXZrtE5jQwXNqCJMfHUTQkvhQ4ZAnqMnmzFMJfLewuabc")
 	pin := PinCid(ci)
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	enc := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, &codec.MsgpackHandle{})
diff --git a/cluster.go b/cluster.go
index 39e40311..e663ae6b 100644
--- a/cluster.go
+++ b/cluster.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/version"
 	"go.uber.org/multierr"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	ds "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
 	host "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/host"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
@@ -1205,7 +1204,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) StatusAllLocal(ctx context.Context, filter api.TrackerStatus,
 // Status returns the GlobalPinInfo for a given Cid as fetched from all
 // current peers. If an error happens, the GlobalPinInfo should contain
 // as much information as could be fetched from the other peers.
-func (c *Cluster) Status(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) Status(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/Status")
 	defer span.End()
 	ctx = trace.NewContext(c.ctx, span)
@@ -1214,7 +1213,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) Status(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, err
 }
 
 // StatusLocal returns this peer's PinInfo for a given Cid.
-func (c *Cluster) StatusLocal(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) api.PinInfo {
+func (c *Cluster) StatusLocal(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid) api.PinInfo {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/StatusLocal")
 	defer span.End()
 	ctx = trace.NewContext(c.ctx, span)
@@ -1225,8 +1224,8 @@ func (c *Cluster) StatusLocal(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) api.PinInfo {
 // used for RecoverLocal and SyncLocal.
 func (c *Cluster) localPinInfoOp(
 	ctx context.Context,
-	h cid.Cid,
-	f func(context.Context, cid.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error),
+	h api.Cid,
+	f func(context.Context, api.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error),
 ) (pInfo api.PinInfo, err error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/localPinInfoOp")
 	defer span.End()
@@ -1284,7 +1283,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) RecoverAllLocal(ctx context.Context, out chan<- api.PinInfo) e
 // Recover operations ask IPFS to pin or unpin items in error state. Recover
 // is faster than calling Pin on the same CID as it avoids committing an
 // identical pin to the consensus layer.
-func (c *Cluster) Recover(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) Recover(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/Recover")
 	defer span.End()
 	ctx = trace.NewContext(c.ctx, span)
@@ -1298,7 +1297,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) Recover(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, er
 // Recover operations ask IPFS to pin or unpin items in error state. Recover
 // is faster than calling Pin on the same CID as it avoids committing an
 // identical pin to the consensus layer.
-func (c *Cluster) RecoverLocal(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) RecoverLocal(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/RecoverLocal")
 	defer span.End()
 	ctx = trace.NewContext(c.ctx, span)
@@ -1353,7 +1352,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) pinsSlice(ctx context.Context) ([]api.Pin, error) {
 // assigned for the requested Cid, but does not indicate if
 // the item is successfully pinned. For that, use Status(). PinGet
 // returns an error if the given Cid is not part of the global state.
-func (c *Cluster) PinGet(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) PinGet(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/PinGet")
 	defer span.End()
 	ctx = trace.NewContext(c.ctx, span)
@@ -1390,7 +1389,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) PinGet(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 //
 // If the Update option is set, the pin options (including allocations) will
 // be copied from an existing one. This is equivalent to running PinUpdate.
-func (c *Cluster) Pin(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) Pin(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/Pin")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -1521,12 +1520,12 @@ func (c *Cluster) pin(
 		return api.Pin{}, false, errFollowerMode
 	}
 
-	if pin.Cid == cid.Undef {
+	if !pin.Cid.Defined() {
 		return pin, false, errors.New("bad pin object")
 	}
 
 	// Handle pin updates when the option is set
-	if update := pin.PinUpdate; update != cid.Undef && !update.Equals(pin.Cid) {
+	if update := pin.PinUpdate; update.Defined() && !update.Equals(pin.Cid) {
 		pin, err := c.PinUpdate(ctx, update, pin.Cid, pin.PinOptions)
 		return pin, true, err
 	}
@@ -1600,7 +1599,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) pin(
 //
 // Unpin does not reflect the success or failure of underlying IPFS daemon
 // unpinning operations, which happen in async fashion.
-func (c *Cluster) Unpin(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) Unpin(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/Unpin")
 	defer span.End()
 	ctx = trace.NewContext(c.ctx, span)
@@ -1670,7 +1669,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) unpinClusterDag(metaPin api.Pin) error {
 // IPFSConnector supports it - the default one does). This may offer
 // significant speed when pinning items which are similar to previously pinned
 // content.
-func (c *Cluster) PinUpdate(ctx context.Context, from cid.Cid, to cid.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) PinUpdate(ctx context.Context, from api.Cid, to api.Cid, opts api.PinOptions) (api.Pin, error) {
 	existing, err := c.PinGet(ctx, from)
 	if err != nil { // including when the existing pin is not found
 		return api.Pin{}, err
@@ -1728,7 +1727,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) UnpinPath(ctx context.Context, path string) (api.Pin, error) {
 // pipeline is used to DAGify the file.  Depending on input parameters this
 // DAG can be added locally to the calling cluster peer's ipfs repo, or
 // sharded across the entire cluster.
-func (c *Cluster) AddFile(ctx context.Context, reader *multipart.Reader, params api.AddParams) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) AddFile(ctx context.Context, reader *multipart.Reader, params api.AddParams) (api.Cid, error) {
 	// TODO: add context param and tracing
 
 	var dags adder.ClusterDAGService
@@ -1842,7 +1841,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) getTrustedPeers(ctx context.Context, exclude peer.ID) ([]peer.
 	return trustedPeers, nil
 }
 
-func (c *Cluster) setTrackerStatus(gpin *api.GlobalPinInfo, h cid.Cid, peers []peer.ID, status api.TrackerStatus, pin api.Pin, t time.Time) {
+func (c *Cluster) setTrackerStatus(gpin *api.GlobalPinInfo, h api.Cid, peers []peer.ID, status api.TrackerStatus, pin api.Pin, t time.Time) {
 	for _, p := range peers {
 		pv := pingValueFromMetric(c.monitor.LatestForPeer(c.ctx, pingMetricName, p))
 		gpin.Add(api.PinInfo{
@@ -1864,7 +1863,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) setTrackerStatus(gpin *api.GlobalPinInfo, h cid.Cid, peers []p
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Cluster) globalPinInfoCid(ctx context.Context, comp, method string, h cid.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) globalPinInfoCid(ctx context.Context, comp, method string, h api.Cid) (api.GlobalPinInfo, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/globalPinInfoCid")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -2008,7 +2007,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) globalPinInfoStream(ctx context.Context, comp, method string,
 		inChan = emptyChan
 	}
 
-	fullMap := make(map[cid.Cid]api.GlobalPinInfo)
+	fullMap := make(map[api.Cid]api.GlobalPinInfo)
 
 	var members []peer.ID
 	var err error
@@ -2141,7 +2140,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) getIDForPeer(ctx context.Context, pid peer.ID) (*api.ID, error
 // that order (the MetaPin is the last element).
 // It returns a slice with only the given Cid if it's not a known Cid or not a
 // MetaPin.
-func (c *Cluster) cidsFromMetaPin(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) ([]cid.Cid, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) cidsFromMetaPin(ctx context.Context, h api.Cid) ([]api.Cid, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "cluster/cidsFromMetaPin")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -2150,7 +2149,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) cidsFromMetaPin(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) ([]cid.Cid, er
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	list := []cid.Cid{h}
+	list := []api.Cid{h}
 
 	pin, err := cState.Get(ctx, h)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -2164,7 +2163,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) cidsFromMetaPin(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) ([]cid.Cid, er
 	if pin.Reference == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("metaPin.Reference is unset")
 	}
-	list = append([]cid.Cid{*pin.Reference}, list...)
+	list = append([]api.Cid{*pin.Reference}, list...)
 	clusterDagPin, err := c.PinGet(ctx, *pin.Reference)
 	if err != nil {
 		return list, fmt.Errorf("could not get clusterDAG pin from state. Malformed pin?: %s", err)
@@ -2180,7 +2179,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) cidsFromMetaPin(ctx context.Context, h cid.Cid) ([]cid.Cid, er
 		return list, fmt.Errorf("error parsing clusterDAG block: %s", err)
 	}
 	for _, l := range clusterDagNode.Links() {
-		list = append([]cid.Cid{l.Cid}, list...)
+		list = append([]api.Cid{api.NewCid(l.Cid)}, list...)
 	}
 
 	return list, nil
diff --git a/cluster_test.go b/cluster_test.go
index 51e23438..b0d64438 100644
--- a/cluster_test.go
+++ b/cluster_test.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/version"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	gopath "github.com/ipfs/go-path"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ func (ipfs *mockConnector) Pin(ctx context.Context, pin api.Pin) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (ipfs *mockConnector) Unpin(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) error {
+func (ipfs *mockConnector) Unpin(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) error {
 	ipfs.pins.Delete(c)
 	return nil
 }
@@ -96,7 +95,7 @@ func (ipfs *mockConnector) PinLs(ctx context.Context, in []string, out chan<- ap
 		default:
 			st = api.IPFSPinStatusRecursive
 		}
-		c := k.(cid.Cid)
+		c := k.(api.Cid)
 
 		out <- api.IPFSPinInfo{Cid: api.Cid(c), Type: st}
 		return true
@@ -123,10 +122,10 @@ func (ipfs *mockConnector) RepoGC(ctx context.Context) (api.RepoGC, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (ipfs *mockConnector) Resolve(ctx context.Context, path string) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (ipfs *mockConnector) Resolve(ctx context.Context, path string) (api.Cid, error) {
 	_, err := gopath.ParsePath(path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 
 	return test.CidResolved, nil
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@ func (ipfs *mockConnector) BlockStream(ctx context.Context, in <-chan api.NodeWi
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (ipfs *mockConnector) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) ([]byte, error) {
+func (ipfs *mockConnector) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) ([]byte, error) {
 	d, ok := ipfs.blocks.Load(c.String())
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, errors.New("block not found")
@@ -444,7 +443,7 @@ func TestUnpinShard(t *testing.T) {
 	sharding.VerifyShards(t, root, cl, cl.ipfs, 14)
 
 	// skipping errors, VerifyShards has checked
-	pinnedCids := []cid.Cid{}
+	pinnedCids := []api.Cid{}
 	pinnedCids = append(pinnedCids, root)
 	metaPin, _ := cl.PinGet(ctx, root)
 	cDag, _ := cl.PinGet(ctx, *metaPin.Reference)
@@ -452,7 +451,7 @@ func TestUnpinShard(t *testing.T) {
 	cDagBlock, _ := cl.ipfs.BlockGet(ctx, cDag.Cid)
 	cDagNode, _ := sharding.CborDataToNode(cDagBlock, "cbor")
 	for _, l := range cDagNode.Links() {
-		pinnedCids = append(pinnedCids, l.Cid)
+		pinnedCids = append(pinnedCids, api.NewCid(l.Cid))
 	}
 
 	t.Run("unpin clusterdag should fail", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -464,7 +463,7 @@ func TestUnpinShard(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("unpin shard should fail", func(t *testing.T) {
-		_, err := cl.Unpin(ctx, cDagNode.Links()[0].Cid)
+		_, err := cl.Unpin(ctx, api.NewCid(cDagNode.Links()[0].Cid))
 		if err == nil {
 			t.Fatal("should not allow unpinning shards directly")
 		}
@@ -504,10 +503,10 @@ func TestUnpinShard(t *testing.T) {
 // 	cShard, _ := cid.Decode(test.ShardCid)
 // 	cCdag, _ := cid.Decode(test.CdagCid)
 // 	cMeta, _ := cid.Decode(test.MetaRootCid)
-// 	pinMeta(t, cl, []cid.Cid{cShard}, cCdag, cMeta)
+// 	pinMeta(t, cl, []api.NewCid(cShard), cCdag, cMeta)
 // }
 
-// func pinMeta(t *testing.T, cl *Cluster, shardCids []cid.Cid, cCdag, cMeta cid.Cid) {
+// func pinMeta(t *testing.T, cl *Cluster, shardCids []api.Cid, cCdag, cMeta api.Cid) {
 // 	for _, cShard := range shardCids {
 // 		shardPin := api.Pin{
 // 			Cid:      cShard,
@@ -609,7 +608,7 @@ func TestUnpinShard(t *testing.T) {
 // 	cShard2, _ := cid.Decode(test.ShardCid2)
 // 	cCdag2, _ := cid.Decode(test.CdagCid2)
 // 	cMeta2, _ := cid.Decode(test.MetaRootCid2)
-// 	pinMeta(t, cl, []cid.Cid{cShard, cShard2}, cCdag2, cMeta2)
+// 	pinMeta(t, cl, []api.Cid{cShard, cShard2}, cCdag2, cMeta2)
 
 // 	shardPin, err := cl.PinGet(cShard)
 // 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs-cluster-ctl/main.go b/cmd/ipfs-cluster-ctl/main.go
index c87582db..9d1aca1f 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs-cluster-ctl/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs-cluster-ctl/main.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api/rest/client"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	ma "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
@@ -784,7 +783,7 @@ existing item from the cluster. Please run "pin rm" for that.
 						from := c.Args().Get(0)
 						to := c.Args().Get(1)
 
-						fromCid, err := cid.Decode(from)
+						fromCid, err := api.DecodeCid(from)
 						checkErr("parsing from Cid", err)
 
 						var expireAt time.Time
@@ -842,7 +841,7 @@ The filter only takes effect when listing all pins. The possible values are:
 					Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 						cidStr := c.Args().First()
 						if cidStr != "" {
-							ci, err := cid.Decode(cidStr)
+							ci, err := api.DecodeCid(cidStr)
 							checkErr("parsing cid", err)
 							resp, cerr := globalClient.Allocation(ctx, ci)
 							formatResponse(c, resp, cerr)
@@ -889,9 +888,9 @@ separated list). The following are valid status values:
 			},
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 				cidsStr := c.Args()
-				cids := make([]cid.Cid, len(cidsStr))
+				cids := make([]api.Cid, len(cidsStr))
 				for i, cStr := range cidsStr {
-					ci, err := cid.Decode(cStr)
+					ci, err := api.DecodeCid(cStr)
 					checkErr("parsing cid", err)
 					cids[i] = ci
 				}
@@ -944,7 +943,7 @@ operations on the contacted peer (as opposed to on every peer).
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 				cidStr := c.Args().First()
 				if cidStr != "" {
-					ci, err := cid.Decode(cidStr)
+					ci, err := api.DecodeCid(cidStr)
 					checkErr("parsing cid", err)
 					resp, cerr := globalClient.Recover(ctx, ci, c.Bool("local"))
 					formatResponse(c, resp, cerr)
@@ -1215,7 +1214,7 @@ func handlePinResponseFormatFlags(
 }
 
 func waitFor(
-	ci cid.Cid,
+	ci api.Cid,
 	target api.TrackerStatus,
 	timeout time.Duration,
 	limit int,
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs-cluster-follow/commands.go b/cmd/ipfs-cluster-follow/commands.go
index 6d1cf13c..b749b3e7 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs-cluster-follow/commands.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs-cluster-follow/commands.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	ipfscluster "github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/allocator/balanced"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
@@ -548,7 +547,7 @@ func printStatusOffline(cfgHelper *cmdutils.ConfigHelper) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func printPin(c cid.Cid, status, name, err string) {
+func printPin(c api.Cid, status, name, err string) {
 	if err != "" {
 		name = name + " (" + err + ")"
 	}
diff --git a/consensus/crdt/consensus.go b/consensus/crdt/consensus.go
index 2e9b9103..bdcf8e4c 100644
--- a/consensus/crdt/consensus.go
+++ b/consensus/crdt/consensus.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// Package crdt implements the IPFS Cluster consensus interface using
+// CRDT-datastore to replicate the cluster global state to every peer.
 package crdt
 
 import (
@@ -8,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/pstoremgr"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state"
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ func (css *Consensus) setup() {
 			logger.Error(err, k)
 			return
 		}
-		c, err := cid.Cast(kb)
+		c, err := api.CastCid(kb)
 		if err != nil {
 			logger.Error(err, k)
 			return
diff --git a/consensus/crdt/consensus_test.go b/consensus/crdt/consensus_test.go
index 083f85c6..670229e5 100644
--- a/consensus/crdt/consensus_test.go
+++ b/consensus/crdt/consensus_test.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/datastore/inmem"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	ipns "github.com/ipfs/go-ipns"
 	libp2p "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p"
 	host "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/host"
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ func clean(t *testing.T, cc *Consensus) {
 	}
 }
 
-func testPin(c cid.Cid) api.Pin {
+func testPin(c api.Cid) api.Pin {
 	p := api.PinCid(c)
 	p.ReplicationFactorMin = -1
 	p.ReplicationFactorMax = -1
@@ -453,7 +452,7 @@ func TestBatching(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Pin 4 things, and check that 3 are commited
-	for _, c := range []cid.Cid{test.Cid2, test.Cid3, test.Cid4, test.Cid5} {
+	for _, c := range []api.Cid{test.Cid2, test.Cid3, test.Cid4, test.Cid5} {
 		err = cc.LogPin(ctx, testPin(c))
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Error(err)
diff --git a/consensus/raft/consensus_test.go b/consensus/raft/consensus_test.go
index d158901d..bf49d0a2 100644
--- a/consensus/raft/consensus_test.go
+++ b/consensus/raft/consensus_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state/dsstate"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	libp2p "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p"
 	host "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/host"
 	peerstore "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peerstore"
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ func cleanRaft(idn int) {
 	os.RemoveAll(fmt.Sprintf("raftFolderFromTests-%d", idn))
 }
 
-func testPin(c cid.Cid) api.Pin {
+func testPin(c api.Cid) api.Pin {
 	p := api.PinCid(c)
 	p.ReplicationFactorMin = -1
 	p.ReplicationFactorMax = -1
diff --git a/ipfscluster.go b/ipfscluster.go
index d21e0a63..ad820222 100644
--- a/ipfscluster.go
+++ b/ipfscluster.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
 )
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ type IPFSConnector interface {
 	Component
 	ID(context.Context) (api.IPFSID, error)
 	Pin(context.Context, api.Pin) error
-	Unpin(context.Context, cid.Cid) error
+	Unpin(context.Context, api.Cid) error
 	PinLsCid(context.Context, api.Pin) (api.IPFSPinStatus, error)
 	// PinLs returns pins in the pinset of the given types (recursive, direct...)
 	PinLs(ctx context.Context, typeFilters []string, out chan<- api.IPFSPinInfo) error
@@ -94,11 +93,11 @@ type IPFSConnector interface {
 	// RepoGC performs garbage collection sweep on the IPFS repo.
 	RepoGC(context.Context) (api.RepoGC, error)
 	// Resolve returns a cid given a path.
-	Resolve(context.Context, string) (cid.Cid, error)
+	Resolve(context.Context, string) (api.Cid, error)
 	// BlockStream adds a stream of blocks to IPFS.
 	BlockStream(context.Context, <-chan api.NodeWithMeta) error
 	// BlockGet retrieves the raw data of an IPFS block.
-	BlockGet(context.Context, cid.Cid) ([]byte, error)
+	BlockGet(context.Context, api.Cid) ([]byte, error)
 }
 
 // Peered represents a component which needs to be aware of the peers
@@ -119,16 +118,16 @@ type PinTracker interface {
 	Track(context.Context, api.Pin) error
 	// Untrack tells the tracker that a Cid is to be forgotten. The tracker
 	// may perform an IPFS unpin operation.
-	Untrack(context.Context, cid.Cid) error
+	Untrack(context.Context, api.Cid) error
 	// StatusAll returns the list of pins with their local status. Takes a
 	// filter to specify which statuses to report.
 	StatusAll(context.Context, api.TrackerStatus, chan<- api.PinInfo) error
 	// Status returns the local status of a given Cid.
-	Status(context.Context, cid.Cid) api.PinInfo
+	Status(context.Context, api.Cid) api.PinInfo
 	// RecoverAll calls Recover() for all pins tracked.
 	RecoverAll(context.Context, chan<- api.PinInfo) error
 	// Recover retriggers a Pin/Unpin operation in a Cids with error status.
-	Recover(context.Context, cid.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error)
+	Recover(context.Context, api.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error)
 }
 
 // Informer provides Metric information from a peer. The metrics produced by
@@ -155,7 +154,7 @@ type PinAllocator interface {
 	// which are currently pinning the content. The candidates map
 	// contains the metrics for all peers which are eligible for pinning
 	// the content.
-	Allocate(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, current, candidates, priority api.MetricsSet) ([]peer.ID, error)
+	Allocate(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid, current, candidates, priority api.MetricsSet) ([]peer.ID, error)
 	// Metrics returns the list of metrics that the allocator needs.
 	Metrics() []string
 }
diff --git a/ipfscluster_test.go b/ipfscluster_test.go
index 1807fe97..3e4d904e 100644
--- a/ipfscluster_test.go
+++ b/ipfscluster_test.go
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ func TestClustersPin(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		_, err = clusters[j].Pin(ctx, h, api.PinOptions{})
+		_, err = clusters[j].Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.PinOptions{})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("error pinning %s: %s", h, err)
 		}
@@ -759,12 +759,12 @@ func TestClustersPinUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	h, _ := prefix.Sum(randomBytes())  // create random cid
 	h2, _ := prefix.Sum(randomBytes()) // create random cid
 
-	_, err := clusters[0].PinUpdate(ctx, h, h2, api.PinOptions{})
+	_, err := clusters[0].PinUpdate(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.NewCid(h2), api.PinOptions{})
 	if err == nil || err != state.ErrNotFound {
 		t.Fatal("pin update should fail when from is not pinned")
 	}
 
-	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, h, api.PinOptions{})
+	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.PinOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("error pinning %s: %s", h, err)
 	}
@@ -773,12 +773,12 @@ func TestClustersPinUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	expiry := time.Now().AddDate(1, 0, 0)
 	opts2 := api.PinOptions{
 		UserAllocations: []peer.ID{clusters[0].host.ID()}, // should not be used
-		PinUpdate:       h,
+		PinUpdate:       api.NewCid(h),
 		Name:            "new name",
 		ExpireAt:        expiry,
 	}
 
-	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, h2, opts2) // should call PinUpdate
+	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h2), opts2) // should call PinUpdate
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("error pin-updating %s: %s", h2, err)
 	}
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ func TestClustersPinUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	pinDelay()
 
 	f := func(t *testing.T, c *Cluster) {
-		pinget, err := c.PinGet(ctx, h2)
+		pinget, err := c.PinGet(ctx, api.NewCid(h2))
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ func TestClustersPinDirect(t *testing.T) {
 
 	h, _ := prefix.Sum(randomBytes()) // create random cid
 
-	_, err := clusters[0].Pin(ctx, h, api.PinOptions{Mode: api.PinModeDirect})
+	_, err := clusters[0].Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.PinOptions{Mode: api.PinModeDirect})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ func TestClustersPinDirect(t *testing.T) {
 	pinDelay()
 
 	f := func(t *testing.T, c *Cluster, mode api.PinMode) {
-		pinget, err := c.PinGet(ctx, h)
+		pinget, err := c.PinGet(ctx, api.NewCid(h))
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ func TestClustersPinDirect(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("pin should have max-depth %d but has %d", mode.ToPinDepth(), pinget.MaxDepth)
 		}
 
-		pInfo := c.StatusLocal(ctx, h)
+		pInfo := c.StatusLocal(ctx, api.NewCid(h))
 		if pInfo.Error != "" {
 			t.Error(pInfo.Error)
 		}
@@ -857,7 +857,7 @@ func TestClustersPinDirect(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	// Convert into a recursive mode
-	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, h, api.PinOptions{Mode: api.PinModeRecursive})
+	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.PinOptions{Mode: api.PinModeRecursive})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ func TestClustersPinDirect(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	// This should fail as we cannot convert back to direct
-	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, h, api.PinOptions{Mode: api.PinModeDirect})
+	_, err = clusters[0].Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.PinOptions{Mode: api.PinModeDirect})
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Error("a recursive pin cannot be converted back to direct pin")
 	}
@@ -1229,14 +1229,14 @@ func TestClustersReplicationOverall(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		_, err = clusters[j].Pin(ctx, h, api.PinOptions{})
+		_, err = clusters[j].Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.PinOptions{})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Error(err)
 		}
 		pinDelay()
 
 		// check that it is held by exactly nClusters - 1 peers
-		gpi, err := clusters[j].Status(ctx, h)
+		gpi, err := clusters[j].Status(ctx, api.NewCid(h))
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
diff --git a/ipfsconn/ipfshttp/ipfshttp.go b/ipfsconn/ipfshttp/ipfshttp.go
index c1129834..45e68305 100644
--- a/ipfsconn/ipfshttp/ipfshttp.go
+++ b/ipfsconn/ipfshttp/ipfshttp.go
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) Pin(ctx context.Context, pin api.Pin) error {
 	// If we have a pin-update, and the old object
 	// is pinned recursively, then do pin/update.
 	// Otherwise do a normal pin.
-	if from := pin.PinUpdate; from != cid.Undef {
+	if from := pin.PinUpdate; from.Defined() {
 		fromPin := api.PinWithOpts(from, pin.PinOptions)
 		pinStatus, _ := ipfs.PinLsCid(ctx, fromPin)
 		if pinStatus.IsPinned(-1) { // pinned recursively.
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) Pin(ctx context.Context, pin api.Pin) error {
 // pinProgress pins an item and sends fetched node's progress on a
 // channel. Blocks until done or error. pinProgress will always close the out
 // channel.  pinProgress will not block on sending to the channel if it is full.
-func (ipfs *Connector) pinProgress(ctx context.Context, hash cid.Cid, maxDepth api.PinDepth, out chan<- int) error {
+func (ipfs *Connector) pinProgress(ctx context.Context, hash api.Cid, maxDepth api.PinDepth, out chan<- int) error {
 	defer close(out)
 
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "ipfsconn/ipfshttp/pinsProgress")
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) pinProgress(ctx context.Context, hash cid.Cid, maxDepth a
 	}
 }
 
-func (ipfs *Connector) pinUpdate(ctx context.Context, from, to cid.Cid) error {
+func (ipfs *Connector) pinUpdate(ctx context.Context, from, to api.Cid) error {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "ipfsconn/ipfshttp/pinUpdate")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) pinUpdate(ctx context.Context, from, to cid.Cid) error {
 
 // Unpin performs an unpin request against the configured IPFS
 // daemon.
-func (ipfs *Connector) Unpin(ctx context.Context, hash cid.Cid) error {
+func (ipfs *Connector) Unpin(ctx context.Context, hash api.Cid) error {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "ipfsconn/ipfshttp/Unpin")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -834,23 +834,23 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) RepoGC(ctx context.Context) (api.RepoGC, error) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		repoGC.Keys = append(repoGC.Keys, api.IPFSRepoGC{Key: resp.Key, Error: resp.Error})
+		repoGC.Keys = append(repoGC.Keys, api.IPFSRepoGC{Key: api.NewCid(resp.Key), Error: resp.Error})
 	}
 }
 
 // Resolve accepts ipfs or ipns path and resolves it into a cid
-func (ipfs *Connector) Resolve(ctx context.Context, path string) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (ipfs *Connector) Resolve(ctx context.Context, path string) (api.Cid, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "ipfsconn/ipfshttp/Resolve")
 	defer span.End()
 
 	validPath, err := gopath.ParsePath(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Error("could not parse path: " + err.Error())
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(path, "/ipns") && validPath.IsJustAKey() {
 		ci, _, err := gopath.SplitAbsPath(validPath)
-		return ci, err
+		return api.NewCid(ci), err
 	}
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, ipfs.config.IPFSRequestTimeout)
@@ -858,18 +858,18 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) Resolve(ctx context.Context, path string) (cid.Cid, error
 	res, err := ipfs.postCtx(ctx, "resolve?arg="+url.QueryEscape(path), "", nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Error(err)
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 
 	var resp ipfsResolveResp
 	err = json.Unmarshal(res, &resp)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Error("could not unmarshal response: " + err.Error())
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
 
 	ci, _, err := gopath.SplitAbsPath(gopath.FromString(resp.Path))
-	return ci, err
+	return api.NewCid(ci), err
 }
 
 // SwarmPeers returns the peers currently connected to this ipfs daemon.
@@ -950,15 +950,15 @@ func (ci *chanIterator) Node() files.Node {
 		return nil
 	}
 	ci.seenMu.Lock()
-	ci.seen.Add(ci.current.Cid)
+	ci.seen.Add(ci.current.Cid.Cid)
 	ci.seenMu.Unlock()
 	return files.NewBytesFile(ci.current.Data)
 }
 
 func (ci *chanIterator) Seen(c api.Cid) bool {
 	ci.seenMu.Lock()
-	has := ci.seen.Has(cid.Cid(c))
-	ci.seen.Remove(cid.Cid(c))
+	has := ci.seen.Has(c.Cid)
+	ci.seen.Remove(c.Cid)
 	ci.seenMu.Unlock()
 	return has
 }
@@ -1117,7 +1117,7 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) BlockStream(ctx context.Context, blocks <-chan api.NodeWi
 }
 
 // BlockGet retrieves an ipfs block with the given cid
-func (ipfs *Connector) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) ([]byte, error) {
+func (ipfs *Connector) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) ([]byte, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "ipfsconn/ipfshttp/BlockGet")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ func (ipfs *Connector) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) ([]byte, error)
 
 // // FetchRefs asks IPFS to download blocks recursively to the given depth.
 // // It discards the response, but waits until it completes.
-// func (ipfs *Connector) FetchRefs(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, maxDepth int) error {
+// func (ipfs *Connector) FetchRefs(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid, maxDepth int) error {
 // 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ipfs.ctx, ipfs.config.PinTimeout)
 // 	defer cancel()
 
diff --git a/observations/metrics.go b/observations/metrics.go
index 28ef241f..9a9dc5e3 100644
--- a/observations/metrics.go
+++ b/observations/metrics.go
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+// Package observations sets up metric and trace exporting for IPFS cluster.
 package observations
 
 import (
diff --git a/peer_manager_test.go b/peer_manager_test.go
index b000f206..c12a1da8 100644
--- a/peer_manager_test.go
+++ b/peer_manager_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/config"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	host "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/host"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	ma "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
@@ -462,7 +461,7 @@ func TestClustersPeerRemoveReallocsPins(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		_, err = chosen.Pin(ctx, h, api.PinOptions{})
+		_, err = chosen.Pin(ctx, api.NewCid(h), api.PinOptions{})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -474,7 +473,7 @@ func TestClustersPeerRemoveReallocsPins(t *testing.T) {
 	// At this point, all peers must have nClusters -1  pins
 	// associated to them.
 	// Find out which pins are associated to the chosen peer.
-	interestingCids := []cid.Cid{}
+	interestingCids := []api.Cid{}
 
 	pins, err := chosen.pinsSlice(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pintracker/optracker/operation.go b/pintracker/optracker/operation.go
index e4464352..c9f9e08e 100644
--- a/pintracker/optracker/operation.go
+++ b/pintracker/optracker/operation.go
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
-
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"go.opencensus.io/trace"
 )
@@ -109,7 +107,7 @@ func (op *Operation) String() string {
 }
 
 // Cid returns the Cid associated to this operation.
-func (op *Operation) Cid() cid.Cid {
+func (op *Operation) Cid() api.Cid {
 	return op.pin.Cid
 }
 
diff --git a/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker.go b/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker.go
index c0a853cf..767540b7 100644
--- a/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker.go
+++ b/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ type OperationTracker struct {
 	peerName string
 
 	mu         sync.RWMutex
-	operations map[cid.Cid]*Operation
+	operations map[api.Cid]*Operation
 }
 
 func (opt *OperationTracker) String() string {
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ func NewOperationTracker(ctx context.Context, pid peer.ID, peerName string) *Ope
 		ctx:        ctx,
 		pid:        pid,
 		peerName:   peerName,
-		operations: make(map[cid.Cid]*Operation),
+		operations: make(map[api.Cid]*Operation),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) Clean(ctx context.Context, op *Operation) {
 // Status returns the TrackerStatus associated to the last operation known
 // with the given Cid. It returns false if we are not tracking any operation
 // for the given Cid.
-func (opt *OperationTracker) Status(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.TrackerStatus, bool) {
+func (opt *OperationTracker) Status(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) (api.TrackerStatus, bool) {
 	opt.mu.RLock()
 	defer opt.mu.RUnlock()
 	op, ok := opt.operations[c]
@@ -122,7 +121,7 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) Status(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.Tracker
 // is PhaseDone. Any other phases are considered in-flight and not touched.
 // For things already in error, the error message is updated.
 // Remote pins are ignored too.
-func (opt *OperationTracker) SetError(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, err error) {
+func (opt *OperationTracker) SetError(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid, err error) {
 	opt.mu.Lock()
 	defer opt.mu.Unlock()
 	op, ok := opt.operations[c]
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) SetError(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, err error)
 func (opt *OperationTracker) unsafePinInfo(ctx context.Context, op *Operation, ipfs api.IPFSID) api.PinInfo {
 	if op == nil {
 		return api.PinInfo{
-			Cid:  cid.Undef,
+			Cid:  api.CidUndef,
 			Peer: opt.pid,
 			Name: "",
 			PinInfoShort: api.PinInfoShort{
@@ -175,7 +174,7 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) unsafePinInfo(ctx context.Context, op *Operation, i
 }
 
 // Get returns a PinInfo object for Cid.
-func (opt *OperationTracker) Get(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, ipfs api.IPFSID) api.PinInfo {
+func (opt *OperationTracker) Get(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid, ipfs api.IPFSID) api.PinInfo {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "optracker/GetAll")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -183,7 +182,7 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) Get(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, ipfs api.IPFSID
 	defer opt.mu.RUnlock()
 	op := opt.operations[c]
 	pInfo := opt.unsafePinInfo(ctx, op, ipfs)
-	if pInfo.Cid == cid.Undef {
+	if !pInfo.Cid.Defined() {
 		pInfo.Cid = c
 	}
 	return pInfo
@@ -191,7 +190,7 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) Get(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, ipfs api.IPFSID
 
 // GetExists returns a PinInfo object for a Cid only if there exists
 // an associated Operation.
-func (opt *OperationTracker) GetExists(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid, ipfs api.IPFSID) (api.PinInfo, bool) {
+func (opt *OperationTracker) GetExists(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid, ipfs api.IPFSID) (api.PinInfo, bool) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "optracker/GetExists")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -258,7 +257,7 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) CleanAllDone(ctx context.Context) {
 }
 
 // OpContext gets the context of an operation, if any.
-func (opt *OperationTracker) OpContext(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) context.Context {
+func (opt *OperationTracker) OpContext(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) context.Context {
 	opt.mu.RLock()
 	defer opt.mu.RUnlock()
 	op, ok := opt.operations[c]
@@ -298,8 +297,8 @@ func (opt *OperationTracker) filterOps(ctx context.Context, filters ...interface
 	return fltops
 }
 
-func filterOpsMap(ctx context.Context, ops map[cid.Cid]*Operation, filters []interface{}) map[cid.Cid]*Operation {
-	fltops := make(map[cid.Cid]*Operation)
+func filterOpsMap(ctx context.Context, ops map[api.Cid]*Operation, filters []interface{}) map[api.Cid]*Operation {
+	fltops := make(map[api.Cid]*Operation)
 	if len(filters) < 1 {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -315,7 +314,7 @@ func filterOpsMap(ctx context.Context, ops map[cid.Cid]*Operation, filters []int
 	return filterOpsMap(ctx, fltops, filters)
 }
 
-func filter(ctx context.Context, in, out map[cid.Cid]*Operation, filter interface{}) {
+func filter(ctx context.Context, in, out map[api.Cid]*Operation, filter interface{}) {
 	for _, op := range in {
 		switch filter.(type) {
 		case OperationType:
diff --git a/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker_test.go b/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker_test.go
index 493c396e..9f23841e 100644
--- a/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker_test.go
+++ b/pintracker/optracker/operationtracker_test.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"testing"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 )
@@ -203,7 +202,7 @@ func TestOperationTracker_OpContext(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestOperationTracker_filterOps(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	testOpsMap := map[cid.Cid]*Operation{
+	testOpsMap := map[api.Cid]*Operation{
 		test.Cid1: {pin: api.PinCid(test.Cid1), opType: OperationPin, phase: PhaseQueued},
 		test.Cid2: {pin: api.PinCid(test.Cid2), opType: OperationPin, phase: PhaseInProgress},
 		test.Cid3: {pin: api.PinCid(test.Cid3), opType: OperationUnpin, phase: PhaseInProgress},
diff --git a/pintracker/pintracker_test.go b/pintracker/pintracker_test.go
index 9a0305b6..78ef5750 100644
--- a/pintracker/pintracker_test.go
+++ b/pintracker/pintracker_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state/dsstate"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 )
 
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ func BenchmarkPinTracker_Track(b *testing.B) {
 
 func TestPinTracker_Untrack(t *testing.T) {
 	type args struct {
-		c       cid.Cid
+		c       api.Cid
 		tracker ipfscluster.PinTracker
 	}
 	tests := []struct {
@@ -273,7 +272,7 @@ func TestPinTracker_StatusAll(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestPinTracker_Status(t *testing.T) {
 	type args struct {
-		c       cid.Cid
+		c       api.Cid
 		tracker ipfscluster.PinTracker
 	}
 	tests := []struct {
@@ -397,7 +396,7 @@ func TestPinTracker_RecoverAll(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestPinTracker_Recover(t *testing.T) {
 	type args struct {
-		c       cid.Cid
+		c       api.Cid
 		tracker ipfscluster.PinTracker
 	}
 	tests := []struct {
@@ -438,7 +437,7 @@ func TestPinTracker_Recover(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestUntrackTrack(t *testing.T) {
 	type args struct {
-		c       cid.Cid
+		c       api.Cid
 		tracker ipfscluster.PinTracker
 	}
 	tests := []struct {
@@ -481,7 +480,7 @@ func TestUntrackTrack(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestTrackUntrackWithCancel(t *testing.T) {
 	type args struct {
-		c       cid.Cid
+		c       api.Cid
 		tracker ipfscluster.PinTracker
 	}
 	tests := []struct {
diff --git a/pintracker/stateless/stateless.go b/pintracker/stateless/stateless.go
index fd43823a..a6f2caa0 100644
--- a/pintracker/stateless/stateless.go
+++ b/pintracker/stateless/stateless.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/pintracker/optracker"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
@@ -315,7 +314,7 @@ func (spt *Tracker) Track(ctx context.Context, c api.Pin) error {
 
 // Untrack tells the StatelessPinTracker to stop managing a Cid.
 // If the Cid is pinned locally, it will be unpinned.
-func (spt *Tracker) Untrack(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) error {
+func (spt *Tracker) Untrack(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) error {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "tracker/stateless/Untrack")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -455,7 +454,7 @@ func (spt *Tracker) StatusAll(ctx context.Context, filter api.TrackerStatus, out
 }
 
 // Status returns information for a Cid pinned to the local IPFS node.
-func (spt *Tracker) Status(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) api.PinInfo {
+func (spt *Tracker) Status(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) api.PinInfo {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "tracker/stateless/Status")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -594,7 +593,7 @@ func (spt *Tracker) RecoverAll(ctx context.Context, out chan<- api.PinInfo) erro
 
 // Recover will trigger pinning or unpinning for items in
 // PinError or UnpinError states.
-func (spt *Tracker) Recover(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error) {
+func (spt *Tracker) Recover(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) (api.PinInfo, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "tracker/stateless/Recover")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -662,7 +661,7 @@ func (spt *Tracker) ipfsPins(ctx context.Context) (<-chan api.IPFSPinInfo, error
 
 // OpContext exports the internal optracker's OpContext method.
 // For testing purposes only.
-func (spt *Tracker) OpContext(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) context.Context {
+func (spt *Tracker) OpContext(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) context.Context {
 	return spt.optracker.OpContext(ctx, c)
 }
 
diff --git a/pintracker/stateless/stateless_test.go b/pintracker/stateless/stateless_test.go
index d6f18980..7dffc07e 100644
--- a/pintracker/stateless/stateless_test.go
+++ b/pintracker/stateless/stateless_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state/dsstate"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/test"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
 )
@@ -286,7 +285,7 @@ func TestTrackUntrackWithNoCancel(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	pi := spt.optracker.Get(ctx, fastPin.Cid, api.IPFSID{})
-	if pi.Cid == cid.Undef {
+	if !pi.Cid.Defined() {
 		t.Error("fastPin should have been removed from tracker")
 	}
 }
@@ -318,7 +317,7 @@ func TestUntrackTrackWithCancel(t *testing.T) {
 	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
 
 	pi := spt.optracker.Get(ctx, slowPin.Cid, api.IPFSID{})
-	if pi.Cid == cid.Undef {
+	if !pi.Cid.Defined() {
 		t.Fatal("expected slowPin to be tracked")
 	}
 
@@ -379,7 +378,7 @@ func TestUntrackTrackWithNoCancel(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	pi := spt.optracker.Get(ctx, fastPin.Cid, api.IPFSID{})
-	if pi.Cid == cid.Undef {
+	if !pi.Cid.Defined() {
 		t.Fatal("c untrack operation should be tracked")
 	}
 
diff --git a/rpc_api.go b/rpc_api.go
index 5efbc4c1..581dfc09 100644
--- a/rpc_api.go
+++ b/rpc_api.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/version"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	rpc "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-gorpc"
 
@@ -221,7 +220,7 @@ func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) Pins(ctx context.Context, in <-chan struct{}, out c
 }
 
 // PinGet runs Cluster.PinGet().
-func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.Pin) error {
+func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.Pin) error {
 	pin, err := rpcapi.c.PinGet(ctx, in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -294,7 +293,7 @@ func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) StatusAllLocal(ctx context.Context, in <-chan api.T
 }
 
 // Status runs Cluster.Status().
-func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) Status(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	pinfo, err := rpcapi.c.Status(ctx, in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -304,7 +303,7 @@ func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.Gl
 }
 
 // StatusLocal runs Cluster.StatusLocal().
-func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) StatusLocal(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) StatusLocal(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	pinfo := rpcapi.c.StatusLocal(ctx, in)
 	*out = pinfo
 	return nil
@@ -321,7 +320,7 @@ func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) RecoverAllLocal(ctx context.Context, in <-chan stru
 }
 
 // Recover runs Cluster.Recover().
-func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) Recover(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) Recover(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	pinfo, err := rpcapi.c.Recover(ctx, in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -331,7 +330,7 @@ func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) Recover(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.G
 }
 
 // RecoverLocal runs Cluster.RecoverLocal().
-func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) RecoverLocal(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) RecoverLocal(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	pinfo, err := rpcapi.c.RecoverLocal(ctx, in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -411,7 +410,7 @@ func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) RepoGCLocal(ctx context.Context, in struct{}, out *
 	return nil
 }
 
-// SendInformerMetric runs Cluster.sendInformerMetric().
+// SendInformerMetrics runs Cluster.sendInformerMetric().
 func (rpcapi *ClusterRPCAPI) SendInformerMetrics(ctx context.Context, in struct{}, out *struct{}) error {
 	return rpcapi.c.sendInformersMetrics(ctx)
 }
@@ -475,7 +474,7 @@ func (rpcapi *PinTrackerRPCAPI) StatusAll(ctx context.Context, in <-chan api.Tra
 }
 
 // Status runs PinTracker.Status().
-func (rpcapi *PinTrackerRPCAPI) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (rpcapi *PinTrackerRPCAPI) Status(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "rpc/tracker/Status")
 	defer span.End()
 	pinfo := rpcapi.tracker.Status(ctx, in)
@@ -491,7 +490,7 @@ func (rpcapi *PinTrackerRPCAPI) RecoverAll(ctx context.Context, in <-chan struct
 }
 
 // Recover runs PinTracker.Recover().
-func (rpcapi *PinTrackerRPCAPI) Recover(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (rpcapi *PinTrackerRPCAPI) Recover(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "rpc/tracker/Recover")
 	defer span.End()
 	pinfo, err := rpcapi.tracker.Recover(ctx, in)
@@ -577,7 +576,7 @@ func (rpcapi *IPFSConnectorRPCAPI) BlockStream(ctx context.Context, in <-chan ap
 }
 
 // BlockGet runs IPFSConnector.BlockGet().
-func (rpcapi *IPFSConnectorRPCAPI) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *[]byte) error {
+func (rpcapi *IPFSConnectorRPCAPI) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *[]byte) error {
 	res, err := rpcapi.ipfs.BlockGet(ctx, in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -587,7 +586,7 @@ func (rpcapi *IPFSConnectorRPCAPI) BlockGet(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out
 }
 
 // Resolve runs IPFSConnector.Resolve().
-func (rpcapi *IPFSConnectorRPCAPI) Resolve(ctx context.Context, in string, out *cid.Cid) error {
+func (rpcapi *IPFSConnectorRPCAPI) Resolve(ctx context.Context, in string, out *api.Cid) error {
 	c, err := rpcapi.ipfs.Resolve(ctx, in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/sharness/t0030-ctl-pin.sh b/sharness/t0030-ctl-pin.sh
index e6da9901..fafb4456 100755
--- a/sharness/t0030-ctl-pin.sh
+++ b/sharness/t0030-ctl-pin.sh
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER "pin data to cluster with ctl" '
 '
 
 test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER "unpin data from cluster with ctl" '
-    cid=`ipfs-cluster-ctl --enc=json pin ls | jq -r ".cid | .[\"/\"]" | head -1`
+    cid=`ipfs-cluster-ctl --enc=json pin ls | jq -r ".cid" | head -1`
     ipfs-cluster-ctl pin rm "$cid" &&
     !(ipfs-cluster-ctl pin ls "$cid" | grep -q "$cid") &&
     ipfs-cluster-ctl status "$cid" | grep -q -i "UNPINNED"
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER "wait for data to pin to cluster with ctl" '
 '
 
 test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER "wait for data to unpin from cluster with ctl" '
-    cid=`ipfs-cluster-ctl --enc=json pin ls | jq -r ".cid | .[\"/\"]" | head -1`
+    cid=`ipfs-cluster-ctl --enc=json pin ls | jq -r ".cid" | head -1`
     ipfs-cluster-ctl pin rm --wait "$cid" | grep -q -i "UNPINNED" &&
     !(ipfs-cluster-ctl pin ls "$cid" | grep -q "$cid") &&
     ipfs-cluster-ctl status "$cid" | grep -q -i "UNPINNED"
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER "wait for data to pin to cluster with ctl with
 '
 
 test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER "wait for data to unpin from cluster with ctl with timeout" '
-    cid=`ipfs-cluster-ctl --enc=json pin ls | jq -r ".cid | .[\"/\"]" | head -1`
+    cid=`ipfs-cluster-ctl --enc=json pin ls | jq -r ".cid" | head -1`
     ipfs-cluster-ctl pin rm --wait --wait-timeout 2s "$cid" | grep -q -i "UNPINNED" &&
     !(ipfs-cluster-ctl pin ls "$cid" | grep -q "$cid") &&
     ipfs-cluster-ctl status "$cid" | grep -q -i "UNPINNED"
diff --git a/sharness/t0052-service-state-export.sh b/sharness/t0052-service-state-export.sh
index d0dcdccc..60700376 100755
--- a/sharness/t0052-service-state-export.sh
+++ b/sharness/t0052-service-state-export.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER,JQ "state export saves the correct state to exp
     cluster_kill && sleep 5 &&
     ipfs-cluster-service --debug --config "test-config" state export -f export.json &&
     [ -f export.json ] &&
-    jq -r ".cid | .[\"/\"]" export.json | grep -q "$cid"
+    jq -r ".cid" export.json | grep -q "$cid"
 '
 
 cluster_kill
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ test_expect_success IPFS,CLUSTER,JQ "state export saves the correct state to exp
     cluster_kill && sleep 5 &&
     ipfs-cluster-service --debug --config "test-config" state export -f export.json &&
     [ -f export.json ] &&
-    jq -r ".cid | .[\"/\"]" export.json | grep -q "$cid"
+    jq -r ".cid" export.json | grep -q "$cid"
 '
 
 test_clean_ipfs
diff --git a/state/dsstate/datastore.go b/state/dsstate/datastore.go
index 82e340f8..8cda7e1a 100644
--- a/state/dsstate/datastore.go
+++ b/state/dsstate/datastore.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	ds "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
 	query "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore/query"
 	dshelp "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-ds-help"
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ func (st *State) Add(ctx context.Context, c api.Pin) error {
 
 // Rm removes an existing Pin. It is a no-op when the
 // item does not exist.
-func (st *State) Rm(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) error {
+func (st *State) Rm(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) error {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "state/dsstate/Rm")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ func (st *State) Rm(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) error {
 // Get returns a Pin from the store and whether it
 // was present. When not present, a default pin
 // is returned.
-func (st *State) Get(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (st *State) Get(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "state/dsstate/Get")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ func (st *State) Get(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 }
 
 // Has returns whether a Cid is stored.
-func (st *State) Has(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (bool, error) {
+func (st *State) Has(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) (bool, error) {
 	_, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "state/dsstate/Has")
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -254,27 +253,28 @@ func (st *State) Unmarshal(r io.Reader) error {
 }
 
 // used to be on go-ipfs-ds-help
-func cidToDsKey(c cid.Cid) ds.Key {
+func cidToDsKey(c api.Cid) ds.Key {
 	return dshelp.NewKeyFromBinary(c.Bytes())
 }
 
 // used to be on go-ipfs-ds-help
-func dsKeyToCid(k ds.Key) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func dsKeyToCid(k ds.Key) (api.Cid, error) {
 	kb, err := dshelp.BinaryFromDsKey(k)
 	if err != nil {
-		return cid.Undef, err
+		return api.CidUndef, err
 	}
-	return cid.Cast(kb)
+	c, err := api.CastCid(kb)
+	return c, err
 }
 
 // convert Cid to /namespace/cid1Key
-func (st *State) key(c cid.Cid) ds.Key {
+func (st *State) key(c api.Cid) ds.Key {
 	k := cidToDsKey(c)
 	return st.namespace.Child(k)
 }
 
 // convert /namespace/cidKey to Cid
-func (st *State) unkey(k ds.Key) (cid.Cid, error) {
+func (st *State) unkey(k ds.Key) (api.Cid, error) {
 	return dsKeyToCid(ds.NewKey(k.BaseNamespace()))
 }
 
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ func (st *State) serializePin(c api.Pin) ([]byte, error) {
 
 // this deserializes a Pin object from the datastore. It should be
 // the exact opposite from serializePin.
-func (st *State) deserializePin(c cid.Cid, buf []byte) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (st *State) deserializePin(c api.Cid, buf []byte) (api.Pin, error) {
 	p := api.Pin{}
 	err := p.ProtoUnmarshal(buf)
 	p.Cid = c
diff --git a/state/dsstate/datastore_test.go b/state/dsstate/datastore_test.go
index 6ece8c54..324e3699 100644
--- a/state/dsstate/datastore_test.go
+++ b/state/dsstate/datastore_test.go
@@ -9,11 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/datastore/inmem"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 )
 
-var testCid1, _ = cid.Decode("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmq")
+var testCid1, _ = api.DecodeCid("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmq")
 var testPeerID1, _ = peer.Decode("QmXZrtE5jQwXNqCJMfHUTQkvhQ4ZAnqMnmzFMJfLewuabc")
 
 var c = api.Pin{
diff --git a/state/empty.go b/state/empty.go
index 64523a5b..f4b3ee7a 100644
--- a/state/empty.go
+++ b/state/empty.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
-
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 )
 
 type empty struct{}
@@ -15,11 +13,11 @@ func (e *empty) List(ctx context.Context, out chan<- api.Pin) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (e *empty) Has(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (bool, error) {
+func (e *empty) Has(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) (bool, error) {
 	return false, nil
 }
 
-func (e *empty) Get(ctx context.Context, c cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
+func (e *empty) Get(ctx context.Context, c api.Cid) (api.Pin, error) {
 	return api.Pin{}, ErrNotFound
 }
 
diff --git a/state/interface.go b/state/interface.go
index 4de202eb..6fc6b489 100644
--- a/state/interface.go
+++ b/state/interface.go
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"io"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
-
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 )
 
 // ErrNotFound should be returned when a pin is not part of the state.
@@ -36,10 +34,10 @@ type ReadOnly interface {
 	// List lists all the pins in the state.
 	List(context.Context, chan<- api.Pin) error
 	// Has returns true if the state is holding information for a Cid.
-	Has(context.Context, cid.Cid) (bool, error)
+	Has(context.Context, api.Cid) (bool, error)
 	// Get returns the information attacthed to this pin, if any. If the
 	// pin is not part of the state, it should return ErrNotFound.
-	Get(context.Context, cid.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
+	Get(context.Context, api.Cid) (api.Pin, error)
 }
 
 // WriteOnly represents the write side of a State.
@@ -47,7 +45,7 @@ type WriteOnly interface {
 	// Add adds a pin to the State
 	Add(context.Context, api.Pin) error
 	// Rm removes a pin from the State.
-	Rm(context.Context, cid.Cid) error
+	Rm(context.Context, api.Cid) error
 }
 
 // BatchingState represents a state which batches write operations.
diff --git a/test/cids.go b/test/cids.go
index 8a2f1e30..95e96215 100644
--- a/test/cids.go
+++ b/test/cids.go
@@ -1,30 +1,30 @@
 package test
 
 import (
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
+	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 )
 
 // Common variables used all around tests.
 var (
-	Cid1, _  = cid.Decode("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmq")
-	Cid2, _  = cid.Decode("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmma")
-	Cid3, _  = cid.Decode("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmb")
+	Cid1, _  = api.DecodeCid("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmq")
+	Cid2, _  = api.DecodeCid("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmma")
+	Cid3, _  = api.DecodeCid("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmb")
 	Cid4Data = "Cid4Data"
 	// Cid resulting from block put using blake2b-256 and raw format
-	Cid4, _ = cid.Decode("bafk2bzaceawsyhsnrwwy5mtit2emnjfalkxsyq2p2ptd6fuliolzwwjbs42fq")
+	Cid4, _ = api.DecodeCid("bafk2bzaceawsyhsnrwwy5mtit2emnjfalkxsyq2p2ptd6fuliolzwwjbs42fq")
 
 	// Cid resulting from block put using format "v0" defaults
-	Cid5, _        = cid.Decode("QmbgmXgsFjxAJ7cEaziL2NDSptHAkPwkEGMmKMpfyYeFXL")
+	Cid5, _        = api.DecodeCid("QmbgmXgsFjxAJ7cEaziL2NDSptHAkPwkEGMmKMpfyYeFXL")
 	Cid5Data       = "Cid5Data"
-	SlowCid1, _    = cid.Decode("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmd")
-	CidResolved, _ = cid.Decode("zb2rhiKhUepkTMw7oFfBUnChAN7ABAvg2hXUwmTBtZ6yxuabc")
+	SlowCid1, _    = api.DecodeCid("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmd")
+	CidResolved, _ = api.DecodeCid("zb2rhiKhUepkTMw7oFfBUnChAN7ABAvg2hXUwmTBtZ6yxuabc")
 	// ErrorCid is meant to be used as a Cid which causes errors. i.e. the
 	// ipfs mock fails when pinning this CID.
-	ErrorCid, _ = cid.Decode("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmc")
+	ErrorCid, _ = api.DecodeCid("QmP63DkAFEnDYNjDYBpyNDfttu1fvUw99x1brscPzpqmmc")
 	// NotFoundCid is meant to be used as a CID that doesn't exist in the
 	// pinset.
-	NotFoundCid, _ = cid.Decode("bafyreiay3jpjk74dkckv2r74eyvf3lfnxujefay2rtuluintasq2zlapv4")
+	NotFoundCid, _ = api.DecodeCid("bafyreiay3jpjk74dkckv2r74eyvf3lfnxujefay2rtuluintasq2zlapv4")
 	PeerID1, _     = peer.Decode("QmXZrtE5jQwXNqCJMfHUTQkvhQ4ZAnqMnmzFMJfLewuabc")
 	PeerID2, _     = peer.Decode("QmUZ13osndQ5uL4tPWHXe3iBgBgq9gfewcBMSCAuMBsDJ6")
 	PeerID3, _     = peer.Decode("QmPGDFvBkgWhvzEK9qaTWrWurSwqXNmhnK3hgELPdZZNPa")
diff --git a/test/ipfs_mock.go b/test/ipfs_mock.go
index f4fa00fc..d02ba3c8 100644
--- a/test/ipfs_mock.go
+++ b/test/ipfs_mock.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func (m *IpfsMock) handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		if arg == ErrorCid.String() {
 			goto ERROR
 		}
-		c, err := cid.Decode(arg)
+		c, err := api.DecodeCid(arg)
 		if err != nil {
 			goto ERROR
 		}
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ func (m *IpfsMock) handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		if !ok {
 			goto ERROR
 		}
-		c, err := cid.Decode(arg)
+		c, err := api.DecodeCid(arg)
 		if err != nil {
 			goto ERROR
 		}
@@ -239,11 +239,11 @@ func (m *IpfsMock) handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 		fromStr := args[0]
 		toStr := args[1]
-		from, err := cid.Decode(fromStr)
+		from, err := api.DecodeCid(fromStr)
 		if err != nil {
 			goto ERROR
 		}
-		to, err := cid.Decode(toStr)
+		to, err := api.DecodeCid(toStr)
 		if err != nil {
 			goto ERROR
 		}
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ func (m *IpfsMock) handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 
 		cidStr := arg
-		c, err := cid.Decode(cidStr)
+		c, err := api.DecodeCid(cidStr)
 		if err != nil {
 			goto ERROR
 		}
@@ -443,16 +443,16 @@ func (m *IpfsMock) handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
 		resp := []mockRepoGCResp{
 			{
-				Key: Cid1,
+				Key: Cid1.Cid,
 			},
 			{
-				Key: Cid2,
+				Key: Cid2.Cid,
 			},
 			{
-				Key: Cid3,
+				Key: Cid3.Cid,
 			},
 			{
-				Key: Cid4,
+				Key: Cid4.Cid,
 			},
 			{
 				Error: "no link by that name",
diff --git a/test/rpc_api_mock.go b/test/rpc_api_mock.go
index 894be139..d24fed91 100644
--- a/test/rpc_api_mock.go
+++ b/test/rpc_api_mock.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/state"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	gopath "github.com/ipfs/go-path"
 	host "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/host"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
@@ -105,10 +104,11 @@ func (mock *mockCluster) PinPath(ctx context.Context, in api.PinPath, out *api.P
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if c.Equals(ErrorCid) {
+		cc := api.NewCid(c)
+		if cc.Equals(ErrorCid) {
 			return ErrBadCid
 		}
-		pin = api.PinWithOpts(c, in.PinOptions)
+		pin = api.PinWithOpts(cc, in.PinOptions)
 	} else {
 		pin = api.PinWithOpts(CidResolved, in.PinOptions)
 	}
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func (mock *mockCluster) Pins(ctx context.Context, in <-chan struct{}, out chan<
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (mock *mockCluster) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.Pin) error {
+func (mock *mockCluster) PinGet(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.Pin) error {
 	switch in.String() {
 	case ErrorCid.String():
 		return errors.New("this is an expected error when using ErrorCid")
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ func (mock *mockCluster) StatusAllLocal(ctx context.Context, in <-chan api.Track
 	return (&mockPinTracker{}).StatusAll(ctx, in, out)
 }
 
-func (mock *mockCluster) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (mock *mockCluster) Status(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	if in.Equals(ErrorCid) {
 		return ErrBadCid
 	}
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ func (mock *mockCluster) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.Global
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (mock *mockCluster) StatusLocal(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (mock *mockCluster) StatusLocal(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	return (&mockPinTracker{}).Status(ctx, in, out)
 }
 
@@ -350,11 +350,11 @@ func (mock *mockCluster) RecoverAllLocal(ctx context.Context, in <-chan struct{}
 	return (&mockPinTracker{}).RecoverAll(ctx, in, out)
 }
 
-func (mock *mockCluster) Recover(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
+func (mock *mockCluster) Recover(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.GlobalPinInfo) error {
 	return mock.Status(ctx, in, out)
 }
 
-func (mock *mockCluster) RecoverLocal(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (mock *mockCluster) RecoverLocal(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	return (&mockPinTracker{}).Recover(ctx, in, out)
 }
 
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ func (mock *mockPinTracker) StatusAll(ctx context.Context, in <-chan api.Tracker
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (mock *mockPinTracker) Status(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (mock *mockPinTracker) Status(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	if in.Equals(ErrorCid) {
 		return ErrBadCid
 	}
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ func (mock *mockPinTracker) RecoverAll(ctx context.Context, in <-chan struct{},
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (mock *mockPinTracker) Recover(ctx context.Context, in cid.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
+func (mock *mockPinTracker) Recover(ctx context.Context, in api.Cid, out *api.PinInfo) error {
 	*out = api.PinInfo{
 		Cid:  in,
 		Peer: PeerID1,
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ func (mock *mockIPFSConnector) BlockStream(ctx context.Context, in <-chan api.No
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (mock *mockIPFSConnector) Resolve(ctx context.Context, in string, out *cid.Cid) error {
+func (mock *mockIPFSConnector) Resolve(ctx context.Context, in string, out *api.Cid) error {
 	switch in {
 	case ErrorCid.String(), "/ipfs/" + ErrorCid.String():
 		*out = ErrorCid
diff --git a/test/sharding.go b/test/sharding.go
index fbf8ec3b..9082ef62 100644
--- a/test/sharding.go
+++ b/test/sharding.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	files "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-files"
 	format "github.com/ipfs/go-ipld-format"
+	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 
 	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 )
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ var (
 	}
 
 	// Used for testing blockput/blockget
-	ShardCid, _  = cid.Decode("zdpuAoiNm1ntWx6jpgcReTiCWFHJSTpvTw4bAAn9p6yDnznqh")
+	ShardCid, _  = api.DecodeCid("zdpuAoiNm1ntWx6jpgcReTiCWFHJSTpvTw4bAAn9p6yDnznqh")
 	ShardData, _ = hex.DecodeString("a16130d82a58230012209273fd63ec94bed5abb219b2d9cb010cabe4af7b0177292d4335eff50464060a")
 )
 
diff --git a/util.go b/util.go
index ba45ea52..fad96375 100644
--- a/util.go
+++ b/util.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	blake2b "golang.org/x/crypto/blake2b"
 
-	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	"github.com/ipfs/ipfs-cluster/api"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	ma "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ type distanceChecker struct {
 	cache      map[peer.ID]distance
 }
 
-func (dc distanceChecker) isClosest(ci cid.Cid) bool {
+func (dc distanceChecker) isClosest(ci api.Cid) bool {
 	ciHash := convertKey(ci.KeyString())
 	localPeerHash := dc.convertPeerID(dc.local)
 	myDistance := xor(ciHash, localPeerHash)
diff --git a/version/version.go b/version/version.go
index b5a50dfa..5cc7015a 100644
--- a/version/version.go
+++ b/version/version.go
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+// Package version stores version information for IPFS Cluster.
 package version
 
 import (