The service, which was launched in beta in November 2018, allows users to identify resources on the Rootstock blockchain by name – similar to the Internet’s Domain Name Service (DNS)
RootstockLabs, a key contributor to the Rootstock blockchain, is announcing the official launch of the RIF Name Service (RNS), which is the first implementation of the RIF Directory Protocol and allows users of the Rootstock Infrastructure Framework (RIF) full access to the service that enable users to easily identify relevant resources like Rootstock addresses, public keys, social network handles, among others on the Rootstock blockchain via readable aliases and domain names.
“As we’re continuing to build out the RIF and expanding the capabilities of the underlying Rootstock, we can’t lose sight of the number one obstacle to mainstream user adoption: basic usability,” said RootstockLabs former CEO Diego Gutierrez
Zaldivar. “When the Internet was first being developed, it was hard to understand the transformative potential it possessed.
Without services like DNS we would still be relying on remembering exact IP addresses to access internet services. Without those basic services, mass adoption would have never been reached”.
RNS helps to map human-readable aliases to the currently hard-to-read hexadecimal addresses blockchain developers and users are forced to use today. For example, if you want to search for your friend Alice on a future RIF messenger service, rather than searching for “3f84e75ebb8a561e24436eb456463b79afe533fc”, you can simply search for “alice.rsk”. RNS employs a bidding system for domain name registration to ensure fairness. RNS is the precursor in a stack of powerful services that will integrate the full suite of RIF Protocols such as off-chain payments, data storage, data feeds, and secure communications.
“Our vision has always been focused on the creation of the Internet of Value – an open network where individuals can transfer value from point A to point B without censorship or intermediation – and making the RNS available to all users is critical to achieving this goal,” continued Zaldivar. “If we can make this system accessible to the billions unbanked and underbanked in today’s world, we can effectively combat the financial inequality that currently wracks our planet.”
About RootstockLabs
RootstockLabs is a key contributor to Rootstock, the first, biggest, and longest-lasting Bitcoin layer 2.
RootstockLabs specializes in pioneering innovative solutions within the blockchain space, empowering developers with funding, technology, and marketing support to expand the frontiers of decentralized technology and make Bitcoin work for everyone.
Rootstock is the first, biggest, and longest-lasting Bitcoin sidechain. It is the only Bitcoin layer 2 that combines the security of Bitcoin’s proof-of-work, with Ethereum’s smart contract capabilities.
Rootstock is open-source, EVM-compatible, and secured by over 60% of Bitcoin’s hashing power, which makes it a gateway to a vibrant ecosystem of dApps that continues to evolve to become fully trustless.