Ethereum Name Service: The Beginner’s Guide

ENS, also known as Ethereum Name Service, has turned out to be the most trending technology that is catching everyone’s fancy in the blockchain galaxy. It is a type of name service that enables people to choose unique domain names for their crypto wallet IDs (addresses).

This technology has been touted to have the potential to be a game changer in Web3 communication.

Let’s move forward and cover some of the essential topics in this topic so that you’ll get a basic overview of the Ethereum Name Service.

What do you understand by the term ENS?

As the name goes, it is a decentralized name provider that serves as an alternative to Domain Name System. It is governed by Decentralized Autonomous Organization and is closely related to Ethereum Foundation.

Both ENS and DNS systems perform the same essential function – mapping and referencing complex addresses using domain names. However, there’s a distinction between the two. The domain naming system utilizes the name of the domains to interpret the inherent IP address.

In contrast, the Ethereum Name Service refers to the Ethereum, Tor.onion addresses, and IPFS file hashes by employing the .eth suffix.

One of the substantial advantages of this system is that it replaces the complex address with simple and easy-to-remember names. For instance, a wallet address (ETH) comes in a 42-character hexadecimal format and looks like – “ozf6753ghjt4586ijh…”

This type of address is obviously difficult to remember, so one can replace it with simpler names that are simple to remember, such as mypersonalwallet.eth. These addresses simplify the process of executing a transfer using an ENS-compatible wallet.

While this benefit is apparent, there’s more to ENS. It enables webpages, Dweb services, Dapps, and others to be made available through a domain-name system that is controlled by users, uncensored, and decentralized. This makes it different from DNS, which has centralized governance.

What is .eth domain?

Primarily, the Ethereum Name Service domains are identifiers for wallets or accounts on the Ethereum-based blockchain. The address has a .eth suffix, denoting its association with Ethereum. This system adds a human-readable aspect to the string of alpha-numerals that constitutes an Ethereum address.

This system can perhaps be considered the close approximation of a global login, particularly given the popularity of Sign-In with Ethereum as a means of internet account identification. Furthermore, it enables Web3 privacy (anonymity), as demonstrated by the Twitter community (for crypto) and Web3 professional field users, who have developed identities and brands based on their anonymous domains.

Additionally, the Ethereum domain owner can create subdomains to scale multiple pages. Also, they may point to addresses across other blockchains, textual bios(description), graphical NFT avatars, and social media network accounts.

Where to purchase the ENS domain?

Numerous user-friendly interfaces assist in purchasing ENS domains, such as:

• registrar.ens.domains- This is the ‘official’ dApp. A blockchain-enabled browser is required (Chrome with the Metamask plugin, Mist, or Parity along with the browser plugin).
• My Ether Wallet- It is a client-side open-source solution that operates totally in your browser and requires you to upload wallet details.
• ETHTools’ ENS integration- It’s a closed-source solution that leads you through the full procedure and makes use of server-side storage to make bidding easier.

How to buy an ENS domain?

By now, you would have a fundamental understanding of what ENS domains are really about. With that in mind, let’s go over the steps for purchasing an Ethereum Name Service domain. Firstly, you must have sufficient ETH in your wallet, which is necessary to pay ENS registration and transaction costs associated with your domain. Here are the basic steps you can take to complete the task.

Establish a crypto exchange account:

Acquiring Ether is the first thing to do if you want to purchase an ENS-based domain. One can procure Ether in two ways –

• By using a centralized exchange such as Voyager, Gemini, or Coinbase Global Inc.
• By transferring tokens to a decentralized exchange.

The Ethereum Name Service domain price is determined by the domain length (the section before the .eth), the time frame wherein you would like to register the domain, and the existing gas cost.

Download a crypto wallet:

To own an ENS-based domain, one must have a good crypto wallet. And a user’s foremost wallet is normally an account that is easily accessible by a web browser extension that lets them engage with any Web3-enabled website. Furthermore, native browser wallets are available in several browsers, such as Opera and Brave.

Currently, MetaMask is the most popular wallet with extensions in Chrome, Brave, Firefox, and Edge.

However, when visiting a wallet’s website, proceed with utmost care because these are the main targets for phishing attempts. Moreover, One might utilize the private key linked with your wallet to retrieve or siphon funds from it, hence keep it secure.

Transfer ETH to wallet:

Transfer Ether to the wallet via wallet address (hexadecimal address) to keep your domain safe. For instance, if you are using MetaMask, you can copy the address through the account header.

Link your wallet to ENS Domains:

Once you have Ether in your wallet, head to the ENS dApp and click the “Connect” link to connect your wallet to the website. This activity would open a MetaMask (or another wallet) window with instructions for authorizing the connection. Following the instructions on your wallet, connect your wallet to the dApp and use it to transfer Ether.

Select an ENS Domain to initiate your purchase:

Once you are on the ENS dApp website, make use of the search box to determine if the chosen domain is available for registration. Check who owns it and when the current registration expires if it is already registered. Usually, the costs depend on the number of characters. However, remember that this cost does not include gas prices.

Conclusion

Overall, the Ethereum Name Service is gaining popularity owing to the advantages which cannot be seen in DNS. Additionally, ENS is open to the public and follows a decentralized approach, making it preferable among people. Technically, the ENS can utilize the existing Ethereum environment. It implies that the tool is completely programmable and can connect with several other smart contracts in ways other than the name.