What Is The Blockchain Dns
Blockchain DNS simply resolves names by parsing entries for them and resolving those entries against an API. This API implements standard DNS resolution using whatever API the API provider implements it with. There could be many API providers at once, perhaps offering service through different protocols based on popularity or latency to increase performance… there would be no other criteria enforced except being able to resolve names into addresses.
Imagine a blockchain without Bitcoin. We don’t need to imagine for long, because this platform with BTC isn’t the one we know and love – it’s a one called Namecoin.
Namecoin is a blockchain expressly designed to provide a way for arbitrarily naming things on the aforementioned platform. Instead of containing arbitrary data, a Namecoin record contains an arbitrary name that points to some other data contained in another place on the platform. A Namecoin record also has associated metadata that specifies how that particular name should be resolved, instead of being resolved by the platform’s consensus algorithm like normal records are.
In this article, I’m going to describe how domain names can be implemented. Specifically, the information that will be presented will be records in JSON-LD for domain names and resource records. The blockchain does not follow the RDF data model by default, but it’s possible to encode as RDF
It makes a good decentralized system because there are only a few moving parts: a name registry, a resolver (autonomous agents on the network), and resolution rules. “Domain name resolution” is taken care of by the consensus protocol for entries, and resolvers are trivial to write.
A Namecoin record can contain any data whatsoever.But in this article I’m going to limit myself to describing blockchain-as-DNS only – the cryptographic primitives necessary to build this platform-as-whatever are already well developed in Namecoin, so there’s no need to go beyond what they do here.
Although records are expressed as JSON, the platform itself is not inherently a JSON data structure. It can be represented as JSON (this is how records are currently encoded), but that’s because consensus algorithms happen to work equally well on chains of arbitrary binary data.
resolves names by parsing entries for them and resolving those entries against an API. This API implements standard DNS resolution using whatever API the API provider implements it with. There could be many API providers at once, perhaps offering service through different protocols based on popularity or latency to increase performance… there would be no other criteria enforced except being able to resolve names into addresses.
This API is likely to be developed under the blockchain-as-DNS use case because it’s what blockchain DNS would interoperate with. It wouldn’t exist in a vacuum – these records containing domain names would contain links to this platform’s APIs, and resolvers would be expected to implement standard APIs as resolvers do. If there were multiple popular APIs , their resolution rules would need to specify which API they resolve against.
Although anyone can write a blockchain resolver that uses any API provider they choose since these are just regular, there’d probably be some standards bodies involved. The standards bodies may also charge membership dues – blockchain DNS resolution would likely be an expensive service to provide since these records are stored in blocks and these blocks contain a lot of data.
Blockchain DNS от Пользователь Firefox 13228151
Resolves domains from decentralized blockchain name systems using BDNS public web API. Currently supported TLDs are: .bit (Namecoin), .lib .bazar .coin .emc (Emercoin).
Метаданные расширения
Используется
A doorway into alternative DNS roots.
This extension allows you to easily visit websites at domain names from Namecoin and Emercoin networks, as well as custom OpenNIC TLDs. There is no configuration — simply install the package and start browsing.
Namecoin and Emercoin are peer-to-peer networks using the same principles as Bitcoin with no central authority. OpenNIC is a community-driven domain authority with a more traditional layout.
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Should You Use Blockchain Powered Dns?
Blockchain technology is quickly becoming a popular way to secure and track online transactions. But what if you need to use blockchain powered DNS? There are a few reasons why you might want to consider using blockchain DNS. For example, it can help to secure your online transactions by ensuring that the data is tamper-proof. Additionally, it can help to keep track of who has access to which websites or files. However, there are also some potential drawbacks to using blockchain DNS. For example, it can be difficult to set up and maintain. Additionally, it may not be compatible with all devices or browsers. So before you decide to switch over to blockchain DNS, make sure that it is the right solution for your needs. ..
Handshake domains are a new type of DNS system that many domain name providers are starting to offer. It runs on the same blockchain technology that powers Bitcoin and Ethereum, and has the potential to decentralize the web. But is it worth your time?
Why Use Blockchain Based DNS?#
DNS is a very centralized system. The management of domain names is controlled by ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. And since DNS records must be served from a server with authority, the root DNS naming zones are controlled by only a few centralized servers.
While this works well to protect malicious actors from taking over the internet and wreaking havoc, it does present a few problems. You can’t purchase domain names directly from ICANN—you must go through an accredited registrar. This means you must give money to third party companies that you may not want to do business with, and it also means you’re subject to those companies’ rules and regulations; services like GoDaddy have been known to revoke domain names for problematic content.
Central authority for DNS also means central control, and a big part of the cryptocurrency movement is having decentralized control through peer-to-peer networks. This is what Handshake Domains are trying to fix.
By having the root DNS information stored in the blockchain—an immutable collection of data hosted by many individual users—DNS queries can be securely resolved without the need for any special root DNS name servers.
Should You Use Handshake Domains?#
The short answer to “should you use it” is currently no, not really. In its current state, Handshake domains are an experimental tech demo—it even says so on the official community website. That doesn’t mean it’s not promising technology for the future, it just has some hurdles to overcome before it gets there.
The biggest problem is that it’s not a drop-in replacement for regular DNS. Web browsers like Chrome and Firefox currently cannot connect to handshake domains without extra configuration, making them basically dark web domains without first-party support.
In order to access handshake domains right now, you’ll first need to be aware of what they are in the first place, and then install a Chrome or Firefox extension to resolve them. You can also use a customized DNS service like NextDNS, which can be configured to resolve them as well.
Another problem that faces decentralized services in general is managing spam attacks, and other bad actors looking to exploit the lack of centralized management. For example, if it was just free to register names, it’s possible for a single person to wreck the whole system by registering millions of names.
Handshake aims to combat this, like most other crypto projects, with a token currency called Handshake coin (HNS). This coin is used to register domains, making it costly for bad actors to abuse the system. Handshake allocated the majority of the initial coins to a large base of Github users active in free and open source (FOSS) software projects, meaning it’s largely moderated by the FOSS community as a whole.
Are Handshake Domains Viable for the Future?#
Even if, in the future, Chrome, Firefox, and other big browsers get official support for handshake domains (or another similar system), it’ll be hard for most website owners to justify using a handshake domain instead of a traditional one.
Most companies hosting websites want users to have an easy experience, and most people want to type in google.com and have a functional webpage. Whatever does that the simplest and fastest is ideal, and overall, using a complicated decentralized service is a very big switch for something that most regular everyday users couldn’t care less about.
However, as an alternative to traditional DNS, handshake domains could be interesting. At the very least, a stable name root name resolution service that isn’t bound to the regulations of ICANN does offer some utility for people, especially if you want to use a different top-level domain (TLD).
Handshake also claims to be “more secure,” as a decentralized service is less prone to hackers taking down the entire network. While this is true, large-scale DNS-based attacks aren’t exactly common, and should handshake become mainstream, it’s likely to suffer from some of the same attack vectors as traditional DNS.
Despite the problems with adoption, the core tech is viable to replace DNS should the industry decide to provide browser support. It’s a much more complicated system, but it works well, and is fast enough to serve as a replacement. After all, DNS queries get cached for a while, so it’s not like it’s going to add too much latency to everyday browsing.
How Do You Buy a Handshake Domain?#
If you currently own a traditional domain name, you can also register it on the handshake blockchain. This process involves setting up DNSSEC to prove that you own the domain name in ICANN’s system, and then using Handshake’s command line tool to claim the domain.
Buying a new handshake domain is a little weirder. Handshake domains actually go up for auction, and you’ll need to set up a wallet with handshake coins to bid on your domain.
If that’s too complicated for you, you can also pay a premium to buy them through traditional registrars. For example, Namecheap offers registration and management for handshake domains through their system:
Currently, there’s no way to transfer these domains outside of Namecheap.
Новые плагины Blockchain DNS для интернет браузеров
Популярный браузер FireFox наконец-то получил плагин для работы с доменной системой EmerDNS! Плагины существенно облегчают жизнь пользователям, желающим приобщиться к миру независимой доменной сети Emer, где нет диктата регуляторов, модераторов и регистраторов. Если он установлен, браузер “видит” невидимые “невооруженным глазом” сайты в зонах lib, emc, bazar и coin.
В последнее время их становится все больше (список живых сайтов в доменных зонах Emercoin)
Напомню, что EmerDNS от классической системы имен интернета отличает следующее:
- Полная децентрализация. Имя сайта принадлежит и управляются исключительно пользователем-хозяином;
- Не могут быть подменены злоумышленниками; или отозваны вследствие политического давления;
- DNS-записи могут быть легко извлечены из любого Emercoin-кошелька с помощью стандартных протоколов используя встроенную подсистему сервера DNS;
- Владение значительно дешевле (можно регистрировать разом на годы!).
Итак, начнем краткий обзор плагинов
Blockchain DNS — плагин для браузера FireFox.
FriGate — знаменитый браузерный плагин для Chrome (и не только) для обхода блокировок различной природы. Поддерживает доменные зоны EmerDNS в полном объеме.
PeerName — имеет набор собственных плагинов к Opera, Chrome и FireFox.
Кроме того сервис позволяет регистрировать домены в зонах .emc .lib .bazar .coin через веб-интерфейс. Удобно? — Да! Но достаточно дорого. Целых 7$ против считанных центов, если вы создате DNS запись в блокчейне Emercoin самостоятельно.