Ethereum Name Service

Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is a distributed, open-source, and scalable naming system that operates on the Ethereum blockchain. Its primary function is to translate human-readable Ethereum addresses, such as "john.eth," into the machine-readable alphanumeric codes that are commonly used in wallets like MetaMask. This reverse conversion, associating metadata and machine-readable addresses with human-readable Ethereum addresses, is also possible. The Ethereum Name Service aims to enhance the accessibility and user-friendliness of the Ethereum-based web, akin to how the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS) improves the overall usability of the internet for human users. Like DNS, ENS uses a hierarchical system of dot-separated domain names, with domain owners fully controlling their subdomains. ENS initially operated within the Ethereum Foundation, but spun off as a separate organization in 2018. Its lead developer is Nick Johnson, a software engineer from New Zealand who previously worked at Google and the Ethereum Foundation. The ENS team consists of nine members, and its treasury is governed by a multi-signature root with representatives from various Ethereum-related organizations.