ENS v2: Redefining Ethereum Name Service?
TechFlow Selected TechFlow Selected
ENS v2: Redefining Ethereum Name Service?
The ENS v2 plan is not just about migrating parts of the protocol, but also involves redesigning the architecture from scratch.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsBy 0XNATALIE
Yesterday, ENS Labs announced the launch of the ENS v2 initiative, aiming to expand the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) to Layer 2 by migrating some of ENS's core functionalities to Layer 2 in order to reduce gas fees. As early as 2020, the ENS team began exploring ways to integrate ENS with Layer 2. Over the past four years, discussions have continuously evolved—from building standard interfaces enabling L2 interaction with ENS, to the team’s own development of a dedicated Layer 2 solution.
ENS has not only attracted strong community attention but also received enthusiastic support from Vitalik Buterin. In an Ethereum developer survey, Vitalik explicitly stated that he uses ENS to manage his name on the Status app. He has previously called ENS one of the most successful non-financial applications and urged on social media that all Layer 2s should work toward developing CCIP resolvers, enabling direct registration, updating, and reading of ENS subdomains on Layer 2.
Introduction to ENS
ENS is a distributed, open, and extensible naming system built on Ethereum, designed to provide users within the Ethereum ecosystem with human-readable domain names for identification and interaction. It maps human-readable names (such as example.eth) to machine-readable identifiers like Ethereum addresses, other cryptocurrency addresses, content hashes, metadata, etc. ENS supports "reverse resolution," allowing users to query associated metadata via a given Ethereum address.
Similar to the traditional internet Domain Name System (DNS), ENS enables users to map complex Ethereum addresses to easy-to-remember domain names. With ENS, users can receive cryptocurrency payments, access DApps, and perform other Ethereum-related operations using simple domain names. These domains are owned by smart contracts known as registrars, which define rules for name allocation—for instance, the ETH Registrar manages .eth domains, allowing trusted decentralized names to be issued as tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. Registration occurs via smart contracts, with domain ownership secured by the Ethereum blockchain.
Additionally, ENS supports subdomains, meaning domain owners can control the resolution process. For example, if Alice owns alice.eth, she can create subdomains such as pay.alice.eth and configure or manage them according to her needs.
What Changes Does ENS v2 Bring?
The ENS v2 plan involves more than just protocol migration—it includes a complete architectural redesign from the ground up. ENS v2 will achieve:
-
Lower Gas Fees: By moving core functions such as .eth domain registration and renewal to Layer 2, ENS v2 will significantly reduce associated gas costs, making ENS more affordable and faster to use.
-
New Architectural Design: ENS v2 introduces a hierarchical registration system where each .eth domain will have its own individual registry. This means every .eth domain will maintain a separate record storing information related to the domain—such as ownership transfer history—and configurations like subdomain creation. This grants users greater control over their domain ownership, enhancing flexibility and customization.
-
Improved Cross-Chain Interoperability: Once migrated to Layer 2, .eth domains will integrate more smoothly across various blockchains. Using the CCIP-Read Gateway—a service enabling Ethereum domain names to be read on other blockchain networks—and compatible resolvers, users’ .eth domains will achieve trustless connectivity across different networks.
Currently, the team is evaluating whether to adopt existing Layer 2 solutions or build a custom L2 tailored for ENS migration. They are also drafting a phased migration roadmap and plan to submit a funding request proposal to the ENS DAO in the coming weeks to support ENS Labs in developing and deploying ENS v2.
Join TechFlow official community to stay tuned
Telegram:https://t.me/TechFlowDaily
X (Twitter):https://x.com/TechFlowPost
X (Twitter) EN:https://x.com/BlockFlow_News
@ChainFeedsxyz
