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The Next Phase of ArNS
ArNS December 2024 Update
The AR.IO Network is approaching an exciting milestone: transitioning to mainnet and cementing its place as the world’s First Permanent Cloud Network. Since the launch of the Arweave Name System (ArNS) Pilot in June 2022, we've made incredible strides in creating a decentralized and tamper-proof web.
Now, as the Testnet phase concludes and version 2.0 of our White Paper is live, we're thrilled to share what this next phase means for users, developers, and the AR.IO ecosystem.
ArNS App
The Arweave Name System is a decentralized registry of human readable names for Arweave transactions. ArNS.app is a portal for everything ArNS. Purchase, search, and manage ArNS names and under_names. Never rely on a single TLD again.
What’s New?
Make Apps Personal with the Primary Name Protocol
Tired of complex wallet addresses? Primary Names solve that through user-friendly aliases that make interactions and profiles easier to manage and identify.
Users can now select a Primary Name from their collection of ArNS names to enable a unified identity displayed across profiles, apps, and websites. Simply log into ArNS - ar.io and set your Primary Name under “Manage Assets”. Make sure the ANT you want to use has the latest ANT Source Code & update if you need to, and your name will be viewable in your profile. Setting a Primary Name improves the usability of ArNS, making interactions simpler and more intuitive, while enhancing the overall user experience across the permaweb.
Convert Your Leased Name Into a Permanent One
Users with actively leased names can now turn them into permanent names. The price for this conversion will be treated as if it were a new permanent name purchase and is subject to the dynamic pricing model, which balances market demand with pricing fairness. Additionally, this model takes into consideration the static and dynamic elements, adjusting prices based on name length and and undername amounts promoting a fair and balanced environment.
You Can Now Return Names
Done with your name and ready to part ways? Users now have the option to return their registered names back to the protocol. The former “Bid Initiated” auction system, has now been replaced with “Returned Name Premium”. This means that names that have recently been returned to the protocol are now subject to public re-registration by the original owner, and during the “premium window” period the proceeds are split between the returning owner and the protocol balance.
Conclusion
ArNS provides friendly names for Arweave transactions and is a critical piece of the AR.IO Network. The core team is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition for those who joined us early by honoring names during mainnet and those who want to help shape the future of the AR.IO Network Protocol as we continue marching towards mainnet.
Want to try ArNS out? Head over to AR.IO
Thank you for being an integral part of the AR.IO journey!
Read below for our previous updates on ArNS.
ArNS June 2024 Updates
The AR.IO Testnet began with the introduction Arweave Name System (ArNS) Pilot in June 2022. Milestones that have followed include:
Release of ar-io.dev, the first ar.io node.
Open sourcing the ar.io node, enabling anyone to run a scalable and modular Arweave gateway.
ar.io contract evolution for the first iteration of the Gateway Address Registry & ARIO Test tokens.
Introduction of Gateway Observation.
This next phase of the Testnet brings it back to where it all started — ArNS. Read the rest to see what’s new for this phase and learn some alpha on mainnet plans!
What’s New?
ArNS App
The Arweave Name System is a decentralized registry of friendly names for Arweave transactions. ArNS.app is a portal for everything ArNS. Purchase, search, and manage ArNS names and under_names. We’re looking for any and all feedback around the app. We invite you to click around and experiment: https://arns.app
ArNS Service Cache
The ArNS Cache is an easy to deploy microservice that leverages the AO Computer and uses AO processes as a smart contract.
The cache can compute any AO process contract, and serves its full contract state, or any specific object within, as well as all contract interactions. It has advanced capabilities to look up ownership information for ArNS names — ideal for those who want to build with ArNS and need a fast sources of prices, names or latest joined gateways.
The ArNS-AO Registry is easily accessible in AOS via the new ArNS Blueprint. It resolves names by fetching and caching the latest ownership and data pointer information, with a simple TTL to keep it refreshed. It is then easy to reference any Name’s Process ID, Owner or data pointer.
Dynamic Pricing
To date, ArNS names have been priced based on flat fees defined by the core team in the smart contract. That method has served its purpose but is not a robust solution. The future market landscape is unpredictable, token values fluctuate, demand varies, and user needs change.
Considering this, we are introducing two new adaptations to ArNS purchases so that the pricing mechanics are self-contained and adaptive. This ensures that name prices mirror network activity and market conditions. ArNS now incorporates:
A dynamic pricing model that utilizes a “Demand Factor” to adjust fees in line with ArNS purchase activity.
A detailed description of these systems can be found in the docs portal: https://docs.ar.io/arns/
Name Purchase Types
ArNS offers two name purchase types:
Leases which are renewable, short duration purchases that can extend from 1 to 5 years.
Permabuys which are permanent and registered indefinitely.
Regardless of the purchase type, each name is archived in the ArNS name registry which is decentralized, permanent, and stored on Arweave. Apps and infrastructure can check the name registry at any point in time, creating a “Wayback Machine” of permanent data tied to friendly names.
Note that ArNS is still in Testnet! While we encourage testing these options, the purchase type for a test name does not guarantee its status in mainnet.
Protocol Balance
Inspired by Arweave’s endowment, the Protocol Balance is a key component of the AR.IO Network that serves as both the main repository and distributor of the network’s incentive rewards.
Revenue flows into the Protocol Balance from ArNS activities, including: instant name leases or purchases, auction completions, lease renewals, and under_name extensions. This revenue directly affects the Demand Factor, which then influences the dynamic pricing of names.
In the future, token rewards will be distributed from this balance to the network’s eligible gateway operators and observers.
More details on the observation and incentive structure will be provided in the coming weeks.
Pilot and Testnet Phases Name Transition
The core team is committed to create a functional, fair, and prosperous domain name system as we approach Mainnet. As such, careful consideration is being given to the transition of names from the Pilot and Testnet phases to the Mainnet, ensuring that early adopters are recognized and rewarded while preserving the integrity of the system for all future users.
ArNS’s development is segmented into three phases:
Pilot phase: From the initial announcement in 2022 to yesterday.
Testnet phase (← we are here): Starting today and continuing until the mainnet launch.
Mainnet phase: The official production launch, alongside the rest of the AR.IO Network.
Pilot phase participants of ArNS — those with registered names prior to the start of this testnet phase — will have those registered names permanently honoured when mainnet launches, with some caveats.
Testnet phase participants that register a name during this phase will also have their name honoured on mainnet but in accordance to how they were purchased (leased or indefinitely) and with caveats.
The Caveats
To promote network health, guidelines for names registered during both the pilot and test phases include:
Registration Limits: To prevent squatting and encourage value-driven participation, the core team will limit the number of names secured per wallet.
Name Curation: Ahead of the mainnet, the team will review and curate names from both phases, prioritizing those that enhance the network’s purpose. Names deemed linked to squatting, non-contribution, or harmful activities will not transition to the mainnet.
Note: Application of these caveats is solely at the team’s discretion.
Conclusion
ArNS provides friendly names for Arweave transactions and is a critical piece of the AR.IO Network. ArNS is the primary source of ARIO token incentives for gateway operators, which is why this part of the testnet and your feedback is essential.
The core team is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition for those who joined us early by honoring names during mainnet and those who want to help shape the future of the AR.IO Network Protocol as we continue marching towards mainnet.
Want to try ArNS out? Head over to https://ar.io/arns
Thank you for being an integral part of the AR.IO journey!
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