Thread by @alexdphan

Many people don't really know what an ENS domain is

As a college student, I can say you're missing out

Here's an easy way to view ENS domains and get one yourself

They literally give you superpowers ⬇

ENS stands for Ethereum Name System

It's an alternative to DNS (Domain Name System)

They both serve as a lookup service

it translates:
machine-readable addresses ⮕ human-readable addresses

They move names towards simplicity

I look at it as calling someone by a nickname

For example, someone's real name may be "Kim Won Choos"

But as a nickname, you call him David

For DNS and ENS, they serve as nicknames

DNS translates domain names of a web address into an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

ENS does the same but domains are mapped into Ethereum addresses

The top-level ENS domain can be ".eth" for example.

Why use an ENS domain?

First, ENS domains are a decentralized alternative to DNS domains

It's not controlled by one single authority and it's safer

A central authority can redirect transactions to a different address if they wanted to

h/t whiteboardcrypto

It's the road to decentralizing web/app hosting entirely.

Instead of having Domain Name Registrars like GoDaddy

ENS cut these middlemen and let the community handle both domain purchases/ownership and resolving

Second, ENS is open-source, which is a standard of any blockchain tool

Anyone can view/review the source code, which provides more credibility and trust

Third, ENS unifies and facilitates many complex web services into a single resource.

Not only can ENS names be your web’s address

It can also be your identity, wallet/bank, payment processor, and much more.

This is the main benefit

h/t fleek.co

This provides a unified online identity for users to control:

• Wallet addresses
• IPFS content hashes
• Custom text records
• Keywords
• URLs
• Social Media handles
• Email addresses
• Avatars

Think of an ENS as power rangers morphing into a robot lol

It's only going to get better

If that doesn't convince you, these people are already into it

https://twitter.com/BrantlyMillegan/status/1445431832187707399

That's great! How do I get one?

1. Go to visit the Ethereum Name Service app

Search for an address/name you want to register and is available.

2. Connect to the Main Network

You will need to connect your wallet for this

If you don't have one, make sure you create one

Need help? My DMs are open (I'll make a thread if needed)

3. Register your selected ENS domain

a. Select how long you want to register your domain
b. Hit “Request to Register”
c. Confirm your ownership and purchase.

4. Once you've registered, you can now view the:

• Registrant
• Controller
• Expiration date
• Text records

Each time you modify a record, there is an ETH gas transaction to be paid.

Congrats! You now have your own .eth domain.

You can now give people your .eth address

Point it to any resources you choose, as well as creating subdomains and assigning them as you wish.

Have fun :)

Recap:

The benefits of ENS are:
• Decentralized
• Immutable
• Censorship-resistant
• User-owned/controlled

Would love to hear your thoughts!

I make threads on Web3 at least 2x per week.

If you enjoyed this, hit me up w/ a retweet and a follow @alexdphan

Stay Classy :)