{"id":37558,"date":"2022-05-31T19:15:53","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T16:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/?p=37558"},"modified":"2025-08-29T18:27:26","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T15:27:26","slug":"what-is-the-ethereum-name-service-ens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/what-is-the-ethereum-name-service-ens\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the Ethereum Name Service (ENS)?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">Key points<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ens.domains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ethereum Name Service<\/a> (ENS) is a distributed naming system built on the Ethereum blockchain.<\/li>\n<li>A domain registered with ENS is linked to the owner\u2019s blockchain address and is a non-fungible token (NFT). This enables on-chain control over domain ownership.<\/li>\n<li>The project has a DAO and the ENS governance token. You pay in ETH to register a domain and cover its rental fees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">How does ENS differ from DNS?<\/h2>\n<p>In the internet\u2019s early days, unwieldy site addresses were a problem. In 1983 the American computer scientist Paul Mockapetris devised the Domain Name System (DNS), which still runs today. It maps an IP address to a human-friendly site address. For example, instead of entering 46.101.169.75, you can simply type forklog.io in the search bar to reach the publication\u2019s site.<\/p>\n<p>Computers understand IP addresses; DNS links a domain name to an IP address. Thus, when a user wants to visit a web page, they can enter a domain name and DNS translates it into the corresponding IP address and forwards the request to the server.<\/p>\n<p>ENS has a similar goal, but its underlying architecture differs. The Ethereum Name Service is built on a blockchain and is a DNS analogue for Web3. Ownership verification for a domain is based primarily on its blockchain address.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">How does the Ethereum Name Service work?<\/h2>\n<p>ENS replaces manual administration with Ethereum smart contracts, making it secure and censorship-resistant. ENS relies on two core contracts:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Registrar<\/strong> \u2014 keeps the registry of registered domain names and stores information about owners and their blockchain addresses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Resolver<\/strong> \u2014 performs bidirectional translation between blockchain addresses and names using hashing, and maps domains to owner data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>ENS is hierarchical. Anyone who owns a domain can configure subdomains at will. For example, if a user owns alice.eth, they can create pay.alice.eth.<\/p>\n<p>Owners of <a href=\"https:\/\/ru.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B5_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D1%8F_%D0%B2%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D1%83%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BD%D1%8F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">second-level domains<\/a> in DNS can also import them into the Ethereum network and use them as usernames across decentralised applications.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of 2021, developers at the non-profit True Names fully integrated the DNS namespace with ENS. At present, imports of domains ending in \u201c.com\u201d, \u201c.org\u201d, \u201c.io\u201d, \u201c.app\u201d and others are supported.<\/p>\n<p>According to official data, more than 1.1 million names are currently registered on ENS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">How to register a domain on ENS?<\/h2>\n<p>To register a domain on ENS, go to the <a href=\"https:\/\/ens.domains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">official website<\/a> and connect a crypto wallet. You can check availability <a href=\"https:\/\/app.ens.domains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">there<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Suppose you want to register the domain \u201cnewsforklog\u201d. Enter it in the search field to see that \u201cnewsforklog.eth\u201d is available.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-1-forklog-1024x558.png\" alt=\"What is the Ethereum Name Service (ENS)?\" class=\"wp-image-174640\" width=\"820\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-1-forklog-1024x558.png 1024w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-1-forklog-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-1-forklog-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-1-forklog-1536x837.png 1536w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-1-forklog-2048x1117.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\" \/><figcaption>Data: screenshot from <a href=\"https:\/\/app.ens.domains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ENS Domains<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Next, click the domain name. A pop-up will display the registration request, the rental term and the estimated cost in Ethereum and US dollars. You pay in ether (ETH) for the domain rental and the registration transaction.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"488\" src=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-2-forklog-1024x488.png\" alt=\"What is the Ethereum Name Service and how does it work?\" class=\"wp-image-174639\" srcset=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-2-forklog-1024x488.png 1024w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-2-forklog-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-2-forklog-768x366.png 768w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-2-forklog-1536x732.png 1536w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-2-forklog-2048x976.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Data: screenshot from <a href=\"https:\/\/app.ens.domains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ENS Domains<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Then confirm the approval transaction in the connected wallet. After this, the user officially becomes the owner of a Web3 domain.<\/p>\n<p>Domains provided by the ENS service are ERC-721 non-fungible tokens on Ethereum. Ownership of the NFT is recorded on the blockchain, so after renting, domain names can be transferred or, for example, put up for sale.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">Does ENS host websites?<\/h2>\n<p>An ENS address primarily refers to a blockchain address. Registering such an address does not mean a website with content will necessarily open when you type it into a browser.<\/p>\n<p>The Ethereum Name Service is not a cloud storage service\u2014specialised servers handle that. They typically run over HTTP, though there is a decentralised alternative: IPFS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">How much does an ENS domain cost?<\/h2>\n<p>Initially, ENS auctioned popular names three to six letters long via <a href=\"https:\/\/ru.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%90%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vickrey auctions<\/a>. For example, the domain \u201cexchange.eth\u201d sold for 6,660 ETH, and \u201cweather.eth\u201d for 300 ETH.<\/p>\n<p>Today, addresses can be purchased without an auction and rented for several years. The price depends on the number of characters, the registration period and availability. The minimum cost is $5 per year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">How do I visit a site with a .eth address?<\/h2>\n<p>There are several ways to access a site whose domain is registered with ENS and ends in \u201c.eth\u201d:<\/p>\n<p>1. Via web browsers with native support: <a href=\"https:\/\/brave.com\/\">Brave<\/a> (desktop), the mobile version of <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/the-ethereum-name-service\/how-opera-is-using-ens-to-decentralize-the-web-ens-integration-spotlight-a545f7825724\">Opera<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/metamask.io\/\">MetaMask<\/a> mobile app, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/status.im\/\">Status<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pumabrowser.com\/\">Puma<\/a> browsers.<\/p>\n<p>2. In Google Chrome (desktop) \u2014 using the MetaMask extension. Type the address in the bar with a trailing \u201c\/\u201d, for example: vitalik.eth\/.<\/p>\n<p>3. In any web browser that does not support ENS. Add \u201c.link\u201d or \u201c.limo\u201d to the end of the address and the site will load. For example, vitalik.eth.limo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">What is the ENS token?<\/h2>\n<p>The Ethereum Name Service is an open-source, decentralised protocol. It is not controlled by a centralised company but governed by a <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.ens.domains\/v\/governance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DAO<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Hence the project has a governance token of the same name. It grants the right to vote on community proposals. A holder can also initiate a vote on a given issue\u2014with a minimum stake of 100,000 ENS.<\/p>\n<p>In future, the core developer team intends to hand control of the project\u2019s funds, as well as the pricing and registration mechanism for .eth domain names, to the DAO.<\/p>\n<p>The total supply of ENS tokens is 100 million; a little over 20 million were in circulation at the time of writing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">Can you send ETH using ENS addresses?<\/h2>\n<p>ENS is integrated into some non-custodial crypto wallets. This allows you to send ether by entering the recipient\u2019s associated domain name instead of their blockchain address.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"439\" src=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-3-forklog-1024x439.jpeg\" alt=\"What is the Ethereum Name Service (ENS)?\" class=\"wp-image-174638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-3-forklog-1024x439.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-3-forklog-300x129.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-3-forklog-768x329.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ens-3-forklog.jpeg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Screenshot of the Trust Wallet app. Data: <a href=\"https:\/\/community.trustwallet.com\/t\/ethereum-name-service-ens-is-now-supported\/35764\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trust Wallet Community<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\">Further reading<\/h2>\n<p>What is Ethereum (ETH)?<\/p>\n<p>What is IPFS?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-is-a-vpn\">What is a VPN?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>What is the Tor browser and how do you use it?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-is-helium-hnt\">What is Helium?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-is-a-dao-decentralised-autonomous-organisation\">What is a DAO?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>What is STEPN?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.io\/chto-takoe-kriptografiya-kto-takie-shifropanki\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What is cryptography? Who are the cypherpunks?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-is-a-multisignature-what-is-a-ring-signature\">What is multisig? What is a ring signature?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-is-machine-learning\">What is machine learning?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How does the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) work? How do you register a domain on it? Why does the project need the ENS token? How can you visit a site like vitalik.eth? We explain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37559,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"1","news_style_id":"1","cryptorium_level":"3","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2113],"tags":[46,1385,2126,1110],"class_list":["post-37558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cryptorium","tag-ethereum","tag-ethereum-name-service","tag-kriptorium-ethereum","tag-web-3-0"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"78","promo_type":"1","layout_type":"1","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37558"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37558\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37560,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37558\/revisions\/37560"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}