You use Domain name services (DNS) all day long while surfing the web. But how can we implement this human-readable service to a blockchain ? Adahandle got your back !
What Is A DNS (Domain Name Service) ?
To begin, you need to learn what a D.N.S is… To be simple, a Domain Name Service is like the phone book of the internet. It converts complicated IP addresses like 46.105.204.31 into a human readable address. To continue with the example, it is our IP address that you just read that points to https://altcoinoracle.com/ !
So what can web3 do with an idea like this ? Simply, turn complicated addresses into human-readable names !
What Is Adahandle ?
With the rise of the Web3 ecosystem we have seen a lot of Domain Name Services on the Ethereum chain (Ethereum Name Service) reach very high prices. Indeed, replacing the complicated 0xHexadecimalMess into simple words facilitates the user experience and adds another layer of decentralization. This is -again- a leap to massive adoption as simplification is the key.
Adahandle lets you create a personalized and unique handle for your Cardano Address.
When you buy your Adahandle, you actually mint a NFT representing that handle. This way your handle stays genuine and unique as there are no possibilities to have 2 matching handles. This makes you able to send and receive easily on the ADA ecosystem. Every payments related to this handle will arrive on the address it is hold.
How does Adahandle work ?
As you understood you will be able to transform the chain of characters forming your address into an easy to read name that you chose.
Let’s say you want to sell an NFT to a friend and receive ADA in exchange.
-Please remember to always use a marketplace or a trusted third party for trading NFTs with people you don’t know-
So you will need to share with your friend you ADA address that are blake2b-256 hash and looking like this :
addr1zxgx3far7qygq0k68dehodvcvrevmn0ypsnfsue94nsn3tvpw288a4x0xf8pxgcntelxmyclq83s0ykeehchz2wtspks905plm (this address does not exist do not interact with it)
There is very little chance you can remember this 103 hexadecimal characters chain. Even if you have a very good memory it will take a long time to learn it.
What adahandle lets you do is to point to this address with a personalized name. In the same way you use pseudonyms on Instagram or Twitter, you can choose one and make it point to your address. So, you will only have to share your new handle to your friend. Easy, simple and a one time payment for eternality.
With this NFT-based system, your handle resides in your wallet. It is simply a more censorship resistant system as the handle list “adress-to-handle” is not stored in a smart contract but in your unhosted wallet thanks to Cardano’s UTXO system. I have simplified to the maximum here but be aware that the name service is a bit more sofisticated.
Where and how Can I Get My Adahandle ?
There are two main ways to get an adahandle. As the Name Service resides in a NFT it make it easily tradable as well :
Mint
If you are looking for a personalized handle, just go to their website ! you will be asked to connect your wallet, verify if the handle has not been minted yet and you will be able to mint your unique and personalized ada handle. You will receive the NFT in seconds to your wallet.
With prices starting at 15 ₳, it’s a cheap investment !
You will be able to use all the 26 characters from the alphabet, numbers from 0 to 9 and 3 special characters ( dash – underscore _ and period . )
Here are the prices and supply :
Buy
As adahandles are encapsulated in NFTs it makes you able to buy any already minted handle on Cardano Marketplaces. This time you will not be able to choose a personalization name as the NFT has already been minted by someone else.
With 183 000 NFTs (handles) minted from 47 000 owners there are plenty of handles that can suit your needs or preferences ! Here are some from jpg.store :
Where Does My Adahandle Work ?
With more than 25 partnerships and integrations, the Adahandle ecosystem is growing fast.
Cardano Wallets
Eternl – Light cardano wallet
Nami wallet – Browser based Cardano wallet
Begin wallet – Multi features cardano wallet
Gero wallet – Browser and mobile wallet
Cardano Dapps
Cardax – Multi chain DEX
Indigo – On chain synthetics of real world assets
Axo (Maldex) – DEX
Sundaeswap – DEX
Ridotto – Gaming/Gambling
NMKR – Nft and Blockchain Toolkit
Others
World Mobile – Telecoms
What About The Team Behind Adahandle ?
With 40+ combined years in the IT ecosystem, the 3 co-founders created Adahandle in 2021 as a side project. With the growing ecosystem of Cardano it soon became an evidence that this project will have a massive impact on the chain.
Calvin
More than 15 years in web software development, from small companies to giants like facebook
Conrad
An IT infrastructure engineer for 20 years, he also founded Kora labs, a software development agency for web3.
MrGoose
He is in charge of business negotiation, management and strategies with a serious background of commercial lending in Silicon Valley, working with the biggest IT companies
What Is The Future Of Adahandle?
With a system designed for updates, there are many features incoming.
First, they will move to smart contract minting in order to facilitate the minting process. They will also implement temporary handles with a recycling/burning mechanism enabling you to discard a domain whenever you need. A specific handle marketplace is also in the pipeline and will allow user to buy and trade adahandles in a safe and customized place.
The next big step for adahandle will be the DAO. The decentralized organization will allow users to take part in the future of the ecosystem. By voting for proposals, you will have your word to say in the protocol decisions.
Testimonies
Here is a review of Adahandle by Alex : @Alex_ADA_
Conclusion
With no doubt possible, turning your address into a personalized username will be an explosive trend in the future years. Early (wise) birds have already secured a lot of names that will surely be bought by brands and personalities that missed the train.
Lots of NFTs have little to zero use cases these days but Adahandle is not made from that wood.
Today is your chance to hop on the Adahandle rocket.
