Author: ChainFeeds
ENS v2 Plan Aims to Redesign Architecture and Migrate Protocols to Layer 2
ENS Labs announced yesterday the launch of the ENS v2 plan, which aims to expand the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) to Layer 2 and reduce gas fees by migrating some of ENS’s core functionalities to Layer 2. As early as 2020, the ENS team began exploring solutions to integrate ENS with Layer 2. Over the past four years, their work has evolved from building standard interfaces for L2 and ENS interaction to developing their own dedicated L2, with ongoing discussions surrounding these solutions.
ENS has garnered attention not only from the community but also from Vitalik Buterin, who has shown strong support for the project. In the Ethereum Developer Survey, Vitalik specifically mentioned that he would use ENS to manage his name on the Status application. He has stated that ENS is one of the most successful non-financial applications and has called for all Layer 2 solutions to focus on developing CCIP resolvers, enabling direct registration, updates, and reading of ENS subdomains on Layer 2.
Introduction to ENS
ENS is a distributed, open, and scalable naming system built on Ethereum. It aims to provide users in the Ethereum ecosystem with readable domain names that can be used for identification and interaction. It maps human-readable names (such as example.eth) to machine-readable identifiers, such as Ethereum addresses, other cryptocurrency addresses, content hashes, metadata, and more. ENS also supports reverse resolution, allowing users to query relevant metadata based on a given Ethereum address.
Similar to traditional Internet domain name systems, ENS allows users to map complex Ethereum addresses to easily memorable domain names. Through ENS, users can use concise domain names to receive cryptocurrency payments, access DApps, and perform other Ethereum-related operations. These domains are owned by smart contracts of different registrars, which specify the rules for name allocation. For example, the ETH registrar is responsible for .eth domains, allowing trusted decentralized names to be issued as tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. Registration is completed through smart contracts, and name ownership is secured by the Ethereum blockchain.
Additionally, ENS supports subdomains, allowing domain owners to control the resolution process. For example, if Alice owns alice.eth, she can create a subdomain pay.alice.eth and configure and manage it according to her needs.
What are the Changes in ENS v2?
The ENS v2 plan not only involves migrating some protocols but also completely redesigning the architecture. ENS v2 will include the following implementations:
Reduced gas fees: By migrating core functionalities such as .eth domain registration and renewal to Layer 2, the associated gas fees for these operations can be significantly reduced, making ENS more affordable and faster.
Introduction of new architecture design: The ENS v2 plan introduces a layered registration system where each .eth domain will have its own personal registry. This means that each .eth domain will have an independent record to store information related to that domain (such as ownership transfer history) and configurations (such as creating subdomains), allowing users to have better control over their domain ownership, enhancing flexibility and customization.
Improved multi-chain interoperability: After migrating ENS to Layer 2, .eth domains will seamlessly integrate into various blockchains. Through the use of the CCIP-Read Gateway (a service that allows Ethereum domains to be read on other blockchain networks) and compatible resolvers, users can achieve trustless connections between different networks using their .eth domains.
Currently, the team is evaluating Layer 2 solutions and customizing L2 migration for ENS. They are also formulating a phased migration plan and timeline. In the coming weeks, they will propose funding requests to the ENS DAO to support the development and deployment of ENS v2 by ENS Labs.
