Blockchain technology has the potential to create a lot of different use cases. In this day and age, it is even used to create human-readable addresses for dApps, wallet identifiers, etc. Let’s quickly analyze how blockchain technology is changing the Internet with user-friendly human readable addresses.
The Rise of Blockchain Domains
One interesting use cases comes in the form of blockchain domains. Several chains provide this functionality, yet accessing them is somewhat problematic. Every individual ecosystem has its own “name service”, forcing users to swap between different networks and applications manually.
Unlike traditional domains, a blockchain domain is not managed by centralized name services. When registering a .com or .net domain, one has to go through ICANN or a domain broker. That company controls all domains in existence, or at least those registered through traditional extensions.
Another benefit is how they can be used as users see fit. There can be no censorship or artificial blocking of such domain names. Since they are running on distributed and decentralized infrastructure, nothing can be blacklisted. Users fully own and control their blockchain domains at all times.
A Growing Industry
Blockchain domains have their own name services. Ethereum has ENS, whereas other systems have their own solution. It is evident that a unified Domain Name Service needs to be created which is blockchain-agnostic.
This becomes even more apparent when looking at projects such as Unstoppable Domains. This particular project aims to make it easier for users to register domains on various blockchains. However, without a universal DNS, this industry will never gain proper mainstream traction.
The RIF Name Service
In June of 2019, the RIFOS team announced a new service. Under the RIF Name Services banner, the project introduces a Domain Name Services to manage domains on any blockchain. This solves the problems with all of the individual name services in existence today.
Rather than walling off different ecosystems, RIF Name Service makes blockchain domains accessible to everyone. It provides a better user experience when dealing with blockchain addresses. Furthermore, it can help identify other resources, including payment addresses.
The first version of RNS, only supported the use of addresses on the RSK Network. After successfully testing this functionality, developers’ team started expanding support for other chains. Under the hood, it will ensure all address-resolution data remains accessible by users at all times.
Creating a universal solution will unlock the future potential of blockchain technology in general. Interoperability between different chains and ecosystems will be crucial to take this industry to a whole new level. Solutions such as RIF Name Service (RNS) will also facilitate growing adoption of cryptocurrency assets across different ecosystems.
The source code powering the RIF Name Service can be found on GitHub. Anyone can verify the code and see how it works exactly. As more crypto assets come to market, the RNS ecosystem will need to grow and evolve accordingly. By building a multi-chain resolver in the early stages of the blockchain industry, the foundation is laid for a broader and more appealing ecosystem.
A Peek Under the Hood
RNS consists of two crucial pillars powering the service. In one hand, there is the Registry, designed to handle the data associated with names. On the other hand, there are the RNS Resolvers. These blockchain-based contracts provide a human-readable name when a request is queried. These resolvers are functions publically accessible by programs and other contracts. This removes the need for an extra protocol between the resolver and the program requesting the information.
Registering and Managing an RNS Domain
To create an RNS domain, clients can rely on the RNS manager. It is very similar to traditional domain registration processes. Available names can be registered for a specific timeframe decided upon by the end user. To do so, one needs the correct amount of RIF tokens in their wallet. RIF Tokens can be traded on multiple exchanges.
Through the RNS Manager, users can also set the resolver for their blockchain-based name. This is a very interesting option, as it allows for setting up subdomains, among other things. In the future, domains will be renewable and transferable, which makes for exciting prospects. If you want to learn more about the new RIF Name Service Registration Process, make sure to visit this link.
