What is a Handshake TLD and how to resolve them

Handshake domain names do not use the same root zone as other domains on the internet, do not currently resolve like regular domains, and require special browser plugins or network configurations.

Handshake is an experimental and permissionless naming protocol that uses blockchain technology to create a decentralized root zone, as opposed to a centralized root zone regulated by ICANN. You can read more about the Handshake protocol at handshake.org.

Warning

Porkbun services such as email and SSL certificate generation don't work on Handshake domains. Additionally, there are no refunds on Handshake domain purchases with no exceptions.

How to resolve Handshake TLDs

Since Handshake domain names do not use the same root zone as other domains on the internet, they do not currently resolve like regular domains. They require special browser plugins or network configurations.

Note

Due to Porkbun's recent switch to a new DNS backend provider, we can no longer host Handshake domains on our free DNS service. A few alternatives currently support DNS hosting for Handshake domains including Amazon Route 53 and DNSimple.

HNS.to

One quick and dirty approach to resolve a Handshake TLD is by adding https://hns.to/ in front of any Handshake domain you want to visit. HNS.to works as a gateway so that any browser can see the Handshake domain. For example, the "goosehollow.consultancy" Handshake domain could be typed as http://hns.to/goosehollow.consultancy, and it will resolve:

It will change the full URL path to http://goosehollow.consultancy.hns.to/ so the Handshake TLD can resolve in whatever browser you want.

Beacon browser

You can also try out Beacon, a browser for the decentralized internet that can resolve Handshake TLDs. Beacon can not only resolve Handshake domains; it also provides experimental HTTPS support for Handshake domains that support it.

Download Beacon on your preferred device. Please note that Beacon does not work on Android devices.

Once you've downloaded and configured Beacon on your device, you can enter the Handshake domain that you registered in the URL bar, and it should resolve normally.

HDNS

Another method you can use to resolve your Handshake TLD is an alternative DNS resolver. This is known as HDNS, wherein you configure your computer to use an alternative DNS server that can resolve both traditional and Handshake domains.

The site hdns.io gives you great instructions on how to do so on various devices. The IP addresses of the alternative DNS resolvers you would use are:

103.196.38.38
103.196.38.39

You can read more about how to access Handshake domains here.