Rethinking Domain Names

The global domain name registrar industry is massive! As of 2023, it was valued at approximately $2.65 billion and is projected to grow to $5.12 billion by 2034. In terms of domain name registrations, there were about 369.5 million registered domain names in 2023, with expectations to reach 464.8 million by 2030.

Amidst this booming domain name industry, are we fully exploring the potential for domains to be truly decentralized, permanent, and self-sovereign?

Enter ArNS, the Arweave Name System, a decentralized, resilient, and innovative approach to domain names that challenges the status quo in ways no other decentralized naming system has.

ArNS is a cornerstone of the AR.IO Permanent Cloud Network, a suite of decentralized web services. It’s a "dot nothing" domain name system, thanks to its native support for the ar:// protocol, which doesn’t rely on top-level domains (TLDs) at all. At the same time, it’s a "dot everything" system, making purchased names accessible on every AR.IO gateway’s domain, such as name.arweave.net, name.g8way.io, or any other gateway in the network.

Let’s explore how ArNS works, its unique advantages, and why it’s poised to disrupt the traditional domain name registrar industry.

The Core Innovations of ArNS

Dot Nothing: Eliminating the TLD

Traditional domain names rely on TLDs like .com or .net, which are maintained by centralized authorities. ArNS breaks free from this convention with the ar:// protocol. This protocol allows users to resolve ArNS names without any TLDs, enabling names like ar://ardrive to exist independently of traditional domain structures.

By eliminating reliance on TLDs, ArNS introduces an entirely new concept of naming that doesn’t depend on centralized registrars or root servers. It’s a true "dot nothing" system that removes layers of complexity and centralization from the web, while complementing DNS, which AR.IO gateways still utilize for hosting public-facing domains.

Dot Everything: Universal Accessibility

When you buy a name on ArNS, it becomes universally accessible across the entire AR.IO network. Each name resolves as a subdomain on every AR.IO gateway, giving users seamless access to the permanent apps, pages, or data, free from reliance on any single location

For example, let’s take the name ardrive. It can resolve as:

• https://ardrive.arweave.net

• https://ardrive.permagate.io

• https://ardrive.vilenarios.com

This resilience ensures that ArNS names are accessible from any gateway in the AR.IO network, a distributed ecosystem spanning hundreds of domains. This model gives users the flexibility to use a variety of domains or TLDs, and ensures they can always access their content, even if one gateway goes offline, as others in the network seamlessly take over.

Domain Names for a Permanent Web

At its core, ArNS doesn’t just give you a memorable, human-readable names. It also acts as a powerful tool to access data permanently stored on Arweave, a blockchain protocol designed to preserve information for centuries. Every ArNS name can point to immutable files, pages, applications, or metadata, ensuring that content linked to the name is tamper-proof, censorship-resistant, and always accessible.

For instance:

• A business might use an ArNS name like brand.arweave.net to point to their immutable website stored on Arweave.

• Developers can link app.gateway.io to a decentralized application permanently hosted on Arweave.

• Creators can share gallery.arweave.net to showcase their NFTs or digital art.

This feature ensures that the content tied to an ArNS name is not only easy to access but also reliable and permanent. Unlike traditional domain systems where data is hosted on centralized servers prone to outages or deletions, ArNS names ensure that linked content exists as long as Arweave itself.

Permanent Domains with Unlimited Subdomains

ArNS names can be purchased permanently or leased annually. A permanently purchased name requires no upkeep and ensures it cannot be discontinued, while a leased name needs annual renewal. In both cases, the record of purchase, and all configurations are stored permanently on Arweave, ensuring that ownership history and provenance remain immutable.

ArNS also introduces Undernames, which function like subdomains for an ArNS name. This feature unlocks powerful customization and monetization opportunities for businesses, developers, and individuals. These can be purchased as needed, with no limit to the amount tied to an ArNS name. For instance, if you own ardrive.arweave.net, you could create and sell subdomains like home_ardrive.arweave.net or shop_ardrive.gateway.io.

Your Name, Your (Friendly) Digital Identity

With ArNS, you’re not just buying a decentralized domain. You’re claiming a digital identity and transforming your crypto wallet's complex, forgettable address into a recognizable, user-friendly name.

It's all thanks to a key feature called the ArNS Primary Name Protocol. This allows users to select a single primary name that represents their universal identity on the permaweb. Unlike traditional domain systems, where users may own multiple domains with no mechanism to designate one as their primary identity, ArNS enables a human-readable name (e.g., sam) to serve as both a wallet address and a user’s digital identity across platforms.

This unique feature streamlines how users interact with decentralized systems, enabling consistent representation across applications. Imagine transferring tokens to someone using their ArNS name or seeing a user's primary ArNS name and logo displayed on social profiles, block explorers, or wallets.

Sustainable Economics

In a unique economic twist, fees from ArNS name purchases are directed into a protocol balance, which is used to compensate AR.IO gateways for resolving and serving those names as well as hosting the permanent apps, pages and content they point to. This ensures a sustainable and decentralized economic model. Unlike ENS, where fees are directed to a DAO, or traditional DNS systems, where fees go to centralized corporations, ArNS directly incentivizes the infrastructure that powers it.

Cross-Chain and Interoperable

ArNS isn’t confined to the Arweave ecosystem. It supports cross-chain identities, meaning users can link Ethereum, Solana, or other blockchain-based addresses to their ArNS names. For example, a single ArNS name could reference both Arweave-stored data and an Ethereum-based wallet address, creating a unified identity across multiple blockchains.

This interoperability sets ArNS apart from systems like ENS (.eth names), which are limited to a single blockchain and domain structure.

Programmable, Smart Domain Names

Each ArNS name is represented by a smart contract powered by the AO Computer, offering unparalleled flexibility for developers. These Smart Domain Names can be programmed to trigger unique integrations, features, and automations. For example, a developer could create a domain that accepts tokens to purchase or lease undername space, or a DAO could implement governance to manage where a name points to. This programmability makes ArNS domains more than just human readable names, but dynamic tools for innovation in decentralized systems.

Underpinned by Standard Web Infrastructure

Unlike systems that aim to replace existing technologies, AR.IO and ArNS embrace and extend traditional web standards:

• DNS ensures AR.IO gateways remain accessible through familiar domain names, providing an intuitive bridge for users new to web3.

• TCP/IP provides the backbone for communication between gateways and users.

• HTTPS certificates ensure encrypted connections, making AR.IO gateways secure by default.

By layering ArNS on top of this established foundation, AR.IO creates a future-ready naming system that blends the best of decentralized innovation with the dependability of the traditional web.

How ArNS Compares to Traditional DNS and ENS

Traditional DNS

The traditional Domain Name System (DNS) relies on centralized registrars, root servers, and regular renewals. It’s also prone to censorship, outages, and centralized control. ArNS addresses these issues by:

• Decentralizing name resolution across multiple gateways.

• Removing reliance on TLDs and root servers.

• Permanently storing records to ensure names are tamper-proof and always accessible.

Ethereum Name Service (ENS)

ENS popularized blockchain-based naming but remains tied to the Ethereum ecosystem and the .eth TLD. ArNS surpasses ENS by:

• Offering cross-chain compatibility (e.g., Arweave, Ethereum, Solana).

• Supporting a "dot everything" structure across multiple gateways.

• Reducing gas fees for updates compared to ENS.

• Using a decentralized protocol balance to compensate infrastructure rather than funneling fees to a centralized entity or DAO.

A Growing Domain Landscape

As of January 2025, the AR.IO Test Network ArNS has registered ~2,800 names served by the ~276 active gateways with unique fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) across 43 unique TLDs.

The most common TLDs include .xyz, .com, and .online, but there are many to choose from, depending on your needs.

For example, gateway domains like ar.xyz offer short, memorable branding opportunities, while domains such as defi.ao resonate with financial applications. With ArNS, names resolve across these and every other AR.IO gateway domain like g8way.io permagate.io, arweave.net, and more. This "dot everything" capability not only increases resilience but also provides unparalleled flexibility for businesses and developers alike.

Additionally, the average length gateway domain is 9 characters, highlighting the flexibility and variety of domains offered by the network. But the beauty of ArNS is that TLDs are entirely optional when using ar:// via apps like ArConnect or Wayfinder.

These numbers may seem modest compared to traditional DNS, but they represent a growing ecosystem of decentralized names that are permanently recorded and universally accessible.

It Always Starts with a Name

The Arweave Name System is part of a vision for a decentralized, permanent, and self-sovereign web. By integrating smart contracts with the flexibility of 'dot everything' and the simplicity of 'dot nothing,' ArNS establishes a new standard for naming systems, serving both humans and AI seamlessly

As the AR.IO network grows, so too will the adoption of ArNS, challenging the traditional domain name industry and empowering users with a system built for resilience, transparency, and interoperability.

Want to learn more about ArNS and how it’s reshaping the future of naming systems? Explore our use cases at https://ar.io/use-cases.