Next-Generation DNS: Ethereum Name Service (ENS)
When the internet was not as widespread, the major issue faced was the inability to map domain names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Therefore, to visit a website, one had to enter the IP address of the website instead of its domain name.
Similar to traditional IP addresses, cryptocurrency wallet addresses consist of a combination of long numbers and letters. Hence, when someone wants to send money over the Ethereum network, they need to ensure that every digit and letter is accurately entered while inputting the address. In this context, it is crucial to emphasize that blockchain-based technologies can lead to significant losses if not handled with care. Without any central authority to contact for reversing or refunding a transaction, funds can be permanently lost if the wallet address is entered incorrectly or with a single letter mistake.
If the Domain Name System (DNS) addressed a critical issue for the future of the internet, the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) aims to provide a solution to a similar problem in the crypto world.
ENS and DNS tackle a comparable problem in two different sectors. Essentially, ENS is a distributed, open, and extensible naming system operating on the Ethereum blockchain. ENS aims to match human-readable names with machine-readable identifiers. For instance, while a wallet address in machine-readable format may be a 42-character Ethereum address, the human-readable address could be something like "vitalik.eth." In summary, ENS transforms the 42-character Ethereum wallet addresses into easily memorable forms for regular users, reducing the likelihood of errors significantly.
According to official ENS documents, although it shares similar goals with the Domain Name Service (DNS), ENS has a substantially different architecture due to the capabilities and limitations provided by the Ethereum blockchain.
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Ethereum Name Service Working Principle
ENS has two fundamental components: the registry and resolvers. The system's architecture looks like this:
Registry Component
The registry maintains a list of all domain and subdomain names. It consists of a smart contract designed to store three essential pieces of information for each of them:
- Owner of the domain name
- Resolver of the domain name
- Time-to-Live (TTL) for caching all records under the domain
ENS registration is a straightforward mapping of a domain to its responsible resolver. Domain owners in the ENS registry can:
- Change ownership of subdomains
- Transfer ownership of domains to another address
- Set the resolver and TTL for the domain
Resolvers
Resolvers are responsible for translating names to addresses. Any contract that implements the necessary standards can be a resolver in ENS. However, in ENS, name resolution is a two-step process:
- Querying the registry to determine which resolver is responsible for a specific domain
- Requesting the answer from that particular resolver
From an architectural standpoint, resolvers appear as follows:
The Domain Name System (DNS) was created in 1983 by American computer scientist Paul Mockapetris. The work of another American scientist, Elizabeth Feinler, is also critical for DNS. In simple terms, DNS's purpose is to map Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to human-friendly names within a domain. This allows users to type the name of a website instead of entering its actual numerical IP address. Similarly, Ethereum Name Service attempts to provide an easier way for people (and applications) to read and share cryptocurrency addresses.
ENS Domain Registration Process
Registering an Ethereum Name Service domain is straightforward, requiring only a hot wallet like MetaMask. You can enter the desired domain on the official website (app.ens.domains) to register it.
ENS Token Economy
ENS token is an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain, primarily used for the governance of the Ethereum Name Service network. Token holders can submit proposals and cast votes. The main discussion platform for community members is the discuss.ens.domains forum.
ENS tokens were distributed via airdrop to individuals who had previously registered an ENS domain. The claiming process started on November 8, 2021, and users were given until May 4, 2022, to claim their tokens. While 25% of the total supply was distributed through airdrop, the rest was determined as shown in the graph.
ENS represents one of the critical technological developments in the crypto ecosystem in recent years, addressing urgent issues in the industry, particularly in solving user experience problems. Traditional domain names and DNS records are typically stored on centralized servers, making them susceptible to attacks. In contrast, ENS is secured by Ethereum's blockchain, making them more versatile and secure.
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