ENS Glossary
Clear, jargon-free definitions of the terms you will meet in the ENS ecosystem. Search or browse.
ENS (Ethereum Name Service)
The decentralized naming system on Ethereum. It maps human-readable names like alice.eth to machine-readable identifiers like wallet addresses, content hashes, and metadata.
.eth
The native top-level domain of ENS. Names ending in .eth are secured on the Ethereum blockchain and can be used as wallets, websites, and identity.
Registrar
The smart contract that controls the registration and renewal of ENS names. It defines how long a name is valid and what happens when it expires.
Resolver
A smart contract that translates an ENS name into the data it points to, such as an ETH address, an avatar, or a content hash. Multiple records can be set per name.
Registration
The process of claiming an available ENS name for a set period (typically one year, renewable). Registration requires a fee that scales with name length.
Renewal
Extending the validity of an ENS name before it expires. Names do not renew automatically; you must renew to keep ownership.
Grace Period
A window after a name expires during which the previous owner can still renew it, typically 90 days. After this, the name becomes available for others to register.
Subname
A name that lives under a parent ENS name, such as team.project.eth under project.eth. Subnames enable hierarchical ownership and flexible identity.
ENSv2
The next major upgrade to ENS. It introduces hierarchical name management, lower-cost operations, and a more flexible architecture for subnames and ownership.
Namechain
The implementation name for the ENSv2 protocol upgrade. It lives on Ethereum Mainnet, where all ENS resolution begins.
CCIP-Read
Chain-agnostic Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol. It allows resolvers to read data from any chain, enabling cross-chain name resolution.
Universal Resolver
A public resolver that supports many record types and uses CCIP-Read to resolve names across chains. Part of ENS infrastructure.
Seaport
A marketplace protocol on Ethereum used for buying and selling NFTs, including ENS names. It enables peer-to-peer trading through signed messages.
Primary Name
The ENS name a wallet designates as its primary identifier. It is used to display the name instead of the raw address in many apps.
Multi-sig (Multisig)
A wallet that requires multiple signatures to execute a transaction. Often used by DAOs and projects to secure shared funds.
L2 (Layer 2)
A scaling solution built on top of Ethereum that processes transactions faster and cheaper. ENS name resolution is moving to support L2s.
Offchain Resolution
Resolving an ENS name using data stored off the main Ethereum chain, typically via CCIP-Read, enabling faster and cheaper lookups.