Decentralized Naming System Does Not Make Sense

Introduction

Decentralized Naming System is an identity service which runs on a particular blockchain.

Image1: ICANN

It is intend to complement or replace the current name service which is managed by ICANN (your .com, .org and all the other Domain Name Service [DNS]) as they can be censored or removed. Under the hood, a decentralized naming are just tokens, particularly erc-721 token if it is on the Ethereum blockchain which is recorded on a register. This register may or may not be running within a Blockchain.

Image2: Ethereum Name Service

The most popular decentralized naming service is Ethereum Name Service (ENS) which uses .eth, followed by Unstoppable Domain (which owns .nft among others), DID (.bnb) and DAS (.bit). This article will highlight why current decentralized naming solutions fail to meet its objective and what alternatives are in place.

A website domain

The world wide web works in such a way that every device has an ip address. logging to websites using ip address is complicated for end users, so friendly names are used (like nostr.com).

Image3: DNS lookup

When we click on the website name, under the hood, our browser does a DNS query of the name and find its way to the website IP address. If a decentralized naming service is used, such mechanism does not exist because our browser does not understand the address.

Image4: .eth.limo is a .eth address with a DNS lookup support

Try vitalik.eth for example. a regular chrome or safari browser cannot get to it. instead, you need to either :

1. use a specific browser such as brave browser, hence limiting accessibility. or
2. use a DNS adjunct, such as .eth.limo (eg. https://vitalik.eth.limo) which is a fallback to DNS service and can be censored all over again.

A website

Most DNS provider provides have an easy to use method to point your website to a DNS name service. It can be a single click wordpress installer (if you buy a hosting bundle) , a redirect or CNAME records.

The same, however cannot be said for decentralized naming service as intermediate Ethereum related knowledge are needed to connect the host to the domain name. one may argue that IPFS are the more common way of hosting decentralized name service website but even that is not an easy process.

Image5: gas fees at peak hours

The worse can be said about subdomains. Not only the process is lengthy, the gas fee can be absurd at peak time as well. while it is possible to just host a DNS addres on ENS and create subdomains using offchain register (just like how cb.id did), the initial cost is high as well and is not decentralized anyway.

Wallet compatibility and interoperability

Image7: Binance does not support ENS

One of the role of decentralized name service is to replace lengthy long addresses with easier to read names. The question is, how many exchanges actually supports them? Very minimal frankly speaking.

Image8: Poor support for L2 on Trustwallet

While wallet compatibility for ENS are generally okay, it is limited to Ethereum. Support for other non-ENS name service is scarce with only a handful of wallet supporting them. Compatibility for other Ethereum layer 2 is limited and even worse for non-evm blockchain, even when ENS supports their registry.

Reverse name lookup

Image9: Resolved name lookup on Uniswap

Reverse name lookup is the finding of a decentralized name service from a blockchain address. it provides aesthetic benefits when connecting to dapp. Ironically, not all dApp supports it. Even when there is a support, it is not reliable especisally when RPC are congested.

lnaddress and nip-05, the better decentralized naming service

Image10: lnaddress structure

lnaddress (lud16) are naming service on the ligthning network. It is not a service or a governance like the ENS. Rather it is an open protocol that can be adopted by anyone.

Image11: Setting a Nip-05 on getalby.com

Nip-05 is similar in structure to lnaddress, but it is used to map nostr npub addresses instead. Lud16 and nip05 work in such a way that is set onto a DNS name that you own or by someone who provides such service. While it still rely on a DNS, the owner has full control of the name, unlike ENS governance who can still control and revoke your domain name from the registrar due to expiry or governance vote.

Image12: Breez wallet supporting Lud16

Due to its open protocol nature, wallet support is almost seamless, with both custodial and self-custodial wallets like Breez supporting them.

Image13: Lud16 is easily intergrated into Nostr

Lud16 are also easily intergrated into Nostr social media, thus, making it easy for payment process (called zapping) and potentially.can be used as a severless blockchainless smart contract-like function.

Image14 : Reverse lookup function

Reverse lookup also works seamlessly with Nostr or any lightning lapp which supports Nip-07 extension. The connectivity is way more stable than a web3 connection on EVM based blockchain.

Because no single entity controls the lud16 or nip05 implementation, it is very much immutable. Anyone or any group of people can set it, can set as much as they like and can even provide mirror lud16 (a lud16 which mirror another lud16 address). future development possibility is endless for these two implementations.