What is Ethereum Name Service: Everything You Need to Know

10 Sep 2023 by Crypto Presale 4 min read

Remember those lengthy addresses that have lots of characters (usually numbers & alphabets)? If you do, chances are that you found them unappealing and almost impossible to memorize.

Well, at some point, these long addresses had to be memorized by users and owners, but the arrival of ENS has changed the narrative. ENS domain names have even been tipped to be the future of Web 3.0 website owners.

Let’s find out why and learn some more about this name service.

Understanding Ethereum Name Service (ENS)

What is ENS?

Ethereum Name Service, also known as ENS, is the web3 version of the Domain Name System (DNS). It is built on the Ethereum blockchain and serves as a bridge between complex cryptocurrency addresses and user-friendly domain names. Ethereum Name Service allows you to link your Ethereum address with names that are easy to remember. For example, it allows you to use ‘iambritish.eth’, instead of long and impossible to remember addresses like “0xxx5A9fE9c91d8C964d2b3f3eA501bD55b13xxd2B17E0”.

The Problem ENS Solves

Cryptocurrency addresses, especially for Ethereum, are a string of random characters that can be challenging to remember correctly when trying to input. Mistakes can be costly, as sending funds to the wrong address can result in irreversible losses.

Ethereum Name Service solves this by providing human-readable names that can be linked to these complex addresses, making transactions more secure and user-friendly.

What Is the ENS DAO?

The ENS DAO is a decentralized autonomous organization that governs the ENS protocol. Holders of the ENS token are able to submit RFP (request for proposals) and vote on them.

How ENS Works

Registration of ENS Domains

Similar to how users register the website’s domain, owners also need to register a domain name through a functionality called ‘ENS Registry’, to use the ENS.

These domain names usually end with “.eth,” indicating their link with the Ethereum network. Once registered, users become owners of the name domain linked to their unique address.

Owners can choose to re-configure the ownership of the subdomains in their domains; they can also transfer the right of ownership to anybody whenever they want to.

Mapping Ethereum Addresses

After the successful registration of an ENS domain, the owner can link it with their ETH address.

This process, often referred to as Mapping, involves specifying the Ethereum address the owner wants to link with their newly registered domain name. Once the Mapping is complete, cryptocurrencies sent to the ENS domain name of the new owner will be automatically directed to the Ethereum address linked to the domain name.

Registrars

A Registrar is a smart contract used to record, monitor, and track registrants during and after the registration process. It does this by allocating subdomains and updating records within the ENS registry.

The entire process, from registration to mapping, is executed by the Registrars.

Resolvers

Resolver is another smart contract responsible for translating domain names into their respective addresses. It converts human-readable addresses to machine addresses and vice versa.

Derivation of Machine-readable from Resolver, Source: ENS

The resolver is able to achieve this in a two-step process:

First, there is communication with the ENS registry to pop which resolver is associated with the domain name.
Secondly, the revolver is queried for the machine-readable address.

NB: The same two-step process would be followed, even if it were the other way around.

5. Namehash

ENS works on fixed-length 256-bit cryptographic hashes due to resource constraints during interaction with human-readable language. Hence, ENS uses Namehash, a process used to derive the hash from a human-readable language. It is a recursive algorithm capable of reproducing a unique hash for any authentic domain name.

But, before the hashing happens, these names are normalized using the UTS-46 normalization, to

ensures the equal treatment of upper and lower-cases, and the exclusion of invalid characters.

Also, with the namehash of any valid domain, it is possible to generate the namehash of any of its subdomains without having to read the unique human-readable name. The ENS is an open and extensible name system with a working framework, which comes with a lot of benefits.

The Benefits of Using the Ethereum Name Service

ENS comes with many benefits over the former process.

Simplicity

ENS simplifies transactions in cryptographic blocks by replacing the long, error-prone addresses with domain names that are easy to understand. With ENS, all an owner needs to do is remember the valid and registered domain name.

Decentralized Architecture

The domain names and other associated information are secured on a decentralized network. This provides robust security and personalized control.

Enhanced Security

By eliminating the need to manually input cryptocurrency addresses, ENS helps users avoid risks and reduces the chances of human error during transactions, ultimately enhancing security.

This massive upgrade reduces the risk of sending funds to the wrong address.

Compatibility with Multiple Services

ENS is compatible with various Ethereum-based services and applications, including DEXs and more. This compatibility makes ENS a versatile tool in the Ethereum ecosystem.

Easier Accessibility

Accessing dApps and other Web3 apps has become much easier with the advent of ENS. It removes the need to manually enter long wallet addresses on these applications.