What Is Ethereum Name Service (ENS)?

The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) revolutionizes the readability of wallet addresses, hashes, and other machine-readable identifiers. By transforming complex data strings into user-friendly addresses, ENS provides a seamless experience akin to the widely used Domain Name System (DNS) for websites.

Initially, ENS adopted the Vickrey auction format to auction popular domain names consisting of six, five, four, and three letters. These coveted names, suffixed with .eth, can be linked to multiple cryptocurrency addresses, hashes, and additional information. Today, acquiring names is a breeze, with no need for auctions. You can conveniently purchase and rent names annually, with pricing varying based on the name's length.

Basics

Simplifying usability and accessibility in blockchain technology has long been a significant obstacle to overcome. Regarding Ethereum (ETH) or Bitcoin (BTC) payments, users, both novices and veterans, often struggle with the impracticality and confusion of lengthy wallet addresses. Though comprehensible for computers, hexadecimal strings prove to be less intuitive for humans. Addressing this concern, the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) emerges as a solution, empowering users to create user-friendly, website-style addresses that are both memorable and convenient to employ.

What Is the Ethereum Name Service?

Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is a groundbreaking Ethereum-based initiative founded on May 4, 2017, by Alex Van de Sande and Nick Johnson of the Ethereum Foundation. This innovative project streamlines the representation of lengthy Ethereum public addresses into simplified, text-based formats. ENS plays a pivotal role in advancing blockchain adoption by enabling easier sharing, utilization, and memorization of addresses and other data.

Beyond wallet addresses, ENS extends its functionality to encompass transaction IDs, hashes, and metadata—essential elements within cryptocurrencies. Drawing inspiration from the Domain Name System (DNS), a virtual phonebook for the internet, ENS equates to the DNS of the Ethereum blockchain. Similar to how DNS translates complex IP addresses into user-friendly URLs, ENS humanizes machine-readable numbers, such as 0xAb5801a7D398351b8bE11C439e05C5B3259aeC9B.

In its evolution towards a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), ENS has introduced a governance token. The project's remarkable token price surge has propelled it into the spotlight, garnering substantial interest and attention. What is more, early users of the service were entitled to an airdrop of a native token $ENS.

How Does Ethereum Name Service Functionate?

ENS operates by utilizing ERC-721 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to represent different addresses within a domain. These domain names can be traded by transferring or selling the associated NFT. Each token is linked to wallet addresses and relevant information, giving the owner control over its management. The ownership of top-level domains, like .eth, resides with a registrar smart contract responsible for subdomain creation. 

To acquire an Ethereum domain name, you can check its availability and rent it on an annual basis. Initially, popular names were subject to auctions, with the highest bidder securing the domain. The domain owner then gained the ability to associate addresses, create subdomains, and even loan or sell their domain name. 

The Potential of ENS: Simplifying Cryptocurrency Transactions

ENS empowers users to streamline their cryptocurrency transactions, addressing the challenge of managing multiple addresses. By transforming lengthy numbers into memorable words, ENS eliminates confusion and reduces the likelihood of errors, akin to saving a friend's contact information under their name.

Additionally, ENS domain owners can establish subdomains and associate them with various data types. This goes beyond wallet addresses, allowing for the inclusion of smart contracts, transactions, or metadata. ENS offers a versatile solution to conveniently direct and organize relevant information.

Obtaining Your ENS Domain: A Simple Registration Process

Securing your ENS domain is now a seamless endeavor, achievable by following a straightforward procedure. Let's delve into an example illustrating the initial steps. 

Begin by visiting https://app.ens.domains/, where you can check the availability of your desired domain. Once you choose your preferred name, you'll receive instructions on how to register your ENS domain. Determine your desired registration period and review the estimated fees. With sufficient ether (ETH) in your wallet, proceed to complete the three-step registration request outlined.

In the early stages of ENS, popular domain names consisting of six, five, four, and three letters were auctioned using the Vickrey auction format. This process involved a smart contract managing a five-day auction period. Public participation was open, allowing multiple bidders to compete for the same domain. In the initial three days, interested parties would submit a transaction with their maximum bid.

Subsequently, the auction would enter the reveal phase, where participants would disclose their bids to avoid losing their locked-up ETH. The winning bidder would be required to pay an amount equivalent to the second-highest bid, while all revealed bids received refunds.

ENS Domain Cost: Auctions and Renewals

Acquiring an ENS domain entails two cost components: auction expenses and rental fees. Auction prices for ENS domain names varied based on their popularity, with recognizable names commanding higher prices. Three-letter words were typically the most expensive. 

Following domain ownership, an annual renewal fee is required, payable in ETH. While fees are expressed in dollars, they are converted using the Chainlink ETH/USD Oracle exchange rate. Names with five or more characters incur a yearly renewal cost of $5. However, the cost escalates for names with fewer characters.

Conclusion

Within decentralized networks, ENS emerges as a pioneering solution, simplifying blockchain interactions. ENS names are becoming more common and popular, just like how IP addresses are no longer the main way to navigate the web. Furthermore, the project has garnered increased attention from the cryptocurrency ecosystem since its airdrop, showcasing its growing influence.