With the widespread of cryptocurrency, NFTs, and other decentralized tools, we are now in the time when thinking about the next phase of the internet. And the discussion of WEB3 increased.
Similar to the currency and creative art niche, we now have a decentralized domain and certificate authority called Handshake.
What are handshake Domains?
Handshake is an experimental peer-to-peer decentralized, permissionless domain network using blockchain technology. It is a new way of owning a domain with more freedom, control, and security as you bypass the traditional way of registering the domain.
traditionally domains on the internet rely upon centralized actors like ICANN with full control over a system that is vulnerable.
Handshake is offering a very new bread of TLDs to explore the possibilities to build a more decentralized internet. The purpose is to give domain owners more freedom, security, privacy, and control over their domain name.
How to Register a Handshake Domain?
Just like any other decentralized product, handshake uses a coin system called Handshake coins or HNS for name registration. Through HNS people can register, transfer and update handshake domains.
As of now, handshake coins are not widely accepted. Only Namecheap is the one who is offering the handshake domain registration services.
Currently, Namecheap is offering the following handshake TLDs:
.creator
.saas
.sox
.ill
.oo
.oot
.ooh
.orb
.p
.pgp
Namecheap hosting is also compatible with the handshake HNS domains.
What are the Drawbacks of Handshake Domain?
The major drawbacks of handshake domains are their lack of wide availability. At the moment, most web browsers don’t support handshake domains.
And the second one is that you can’t use an HTTPS:// protocol.
How to Access a Handshake Domain Website?
As most non of the modern mainstream web browsers support handshake domains, you need to use one of the following ways to browse it.
- NextDNS — A DNS management service that can be used to access handshake domains
- VPN — A few VPN services also include an option to resolve handshake domains.
- HSD/HDNS node — A software acts as a resolver and allows you to register, update and transfer names.
- HDNS.io — It helps to directly access the handshake in your browser using an encrypted DNS protocol.
- HNS.to — A convenient option that requires no changes to your current DNS settings to access a handshake domain from your browser.
- Browser extensions — like Bob Wallet and LInkFrame for Chrome and Resolver for Firefox
- Fingertip — An open-source, lightweight decentralized handshake resolver.
Is handshake Domain really worth it to buy?
I think it depends on how you look at it.
handshake domains have limited accessibility as no modern web browser supports them and you can’t use an HTTPS protocol.
Whereas, their mission of giving users more freedom, privacy, and security looks promising.
The handshake domain may not be suitable to cater to your current purposes as the visitor of your website needs to do some extra steps to access it.
But it is worth it for your future endeavors. That is why we’ve also bought a handshake TLD for one of our projects.
