diff --git a/config/env/common.js b/config/env/common.js
index c839c56..0daf6c6 100644
--- a/config/env/common.js
+++ b/config/env/common.js
@@ -78,5 +78,12 @@ module.exports = {
   // BCH Mnemonic for generating encryption keys and payment address
   mnemonic: process.env.MNEMONIC ? process.env.MNEMONIC : '',
 
-  debugLevel: process.env.DEBUG_LEVEL ? parseInt(process.env.DEBUG_LEVEL) : 2
+  debugLevel: process.env.DEBUG_LEVEL ? parseInt(process.env.DEBUG_LEVEL) : 2,
+
+  // Settings for production, using external go-ipfs node.
+  isProduction: process.env.SVC_ENV === 'production' ? true : false,
+  ipfsHost: process.env.IPFS_HOST ? process.env.IPFS_HOST : 'localhost',
+  ipfsApiPort: process.env.IPFS_API_PORT
+    ? parseInt(process.env.IPFS_API_PORT)
+    : 5001
 }
diff --git a/shell-scripts/local-external-ipfs-node.sh b/shell-scripts/local-external-ipfs-node.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..a81d112
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell-scripts/local-external-ipfs-node.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# This script is an example for running a production environment, which is
+# defined by running an external go-ipfs node.
+
+# Ports
+export PORT=5010 # REST API port
+
+# The human-readible name that is used when displaying data about this node.
+export COORD_NAME=ipfs-service-provider-generic
+
+# This is used for end-to-end encryption (e2ee).
+export MNEMONIC="churn aisle shield silver ladder swear hunt slim pen demand spoil veteran"
+
+# 0 = less verbose. 3 = most verbose
+export DEBUG_LEVEL=1
+
+# Production settings that use external IPFS node.
+# https://github.com/christroutner/docker-ipfs
+export SVC_ENV=production
+export IPFS_HOST=localhost
+export IPFS_API_PORT=5001
+
+# MongoDB connection string.
+export DBURL=mongodb://localhost:27017/ipfs-service-dev
+
+npm start
diff --git a/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs-coord.js b/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs-coord.js
index 142319b..ee53560 100644
--- a/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs-coord.js
+++ b/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs-coord.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class IpfsCoordAdapter {
       }
     }
 
-    this.ipfsCoord = new this.IpfsCoord({
+    const ipfsCoordOptions = {
       ipfs: this.ipfs,
       type: 'node.js',
       // type: 'browser',
@@ -68,7 +68,14 @@ class IpfsCoordAdapter {
       apiInfo: this.config.apiInfo,
       announceJsonLd: this.config.announceJsonLd,
       debugLevel: this.config.debugLevel
-    })
+    }
+
+    // Production env uses external go-ipfs node.
+    if (this.config.isProduction) {
+      ipfsCoordOptions.nodeType = 'external'
+    }
+
+    this.ipfsCoord = new this.IpfsCoord(ipfsCoordOptions)
 
     // Wait for the ipfs-coord library to signal that it is ready.
     await this.ipfsCoord.start()
diff --git a/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs.js b/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs.js
index 4e2ddba..b45b91f 100644
--- a/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs.js
+++ b/src/adapters/ipfs/ipfs.js
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
 // Global npm libraries
 // const IPFS = require('ipfs')
 // const IPFS = require('@chris.troutner/ipfs')
-const IPFS = require('ipfs')
+const IPFSembedded = require('ipfs')
+const IPFSexternal = require('ipfs-http-client')
 const fs = require('fs')
 
 // Local libraries
@@ -22,11 +23,17 @@ const IPFS_DIR = './.ipfsdata/ipfs'
 class IpfsAdapter {
   constructor (localConfig) {
     // Encapsulate dependencies
-    this.IPFS = IPFS
+    this.config = config
+
+    // Choose the IPFS constructor based on the config settings.
+    this.IPFS = IPFSembedded // default
+    if (this.config.isProduction) {
+      this.IPFS = IPFSexternal
+    }
 
     // Properties of this class instance.
     this.isReady = false
-    this.config = config
+
     this.fs = fs
   }
 
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@ class IpfsAdapter {
   async start () {
     try {
       // Ipfs Options
-      const ipfsOptions = {
+      const ipfsOptionsEmbedded = {
         repo: IPFS_DIR,
         start: true,
         config: {
@@ -65,6 +72,16 @@ class IpfsAdapter {
         }
       }
 
+      const ipfsOptionsExternal = {
+        host: this.config.ipfsHost,
+        port: this.config.ipfsApiPort
+      }
+
+      let ipfsOptions = ipfsOptionsEmbedded
+      if (this.config.isProduction) {
+        ipfsOptions = ipfsOptionsExternal
+      }
+
       // Create a new IPFS node.
       this.ipfs = await this.IPFS.create(ipfsOptions)