ArNS: Permanent Human-Readable Names

The Arweave Name System (ArNS) provides permanent, human-readable names for Arweave content. Instead of sharing ar://Hg8T3qKL7xN2pR9..., share ar://mysite. Like DNS, but permanent.

The Naming Problem

Arweave transaction IDs are powerful but not memorable:

ar://Hg8T3qKL7xN2pR9vK4mN8tQ2wE5yU7iO3pA6sD9fG1hJ

ArNS transforms this into:

ar://mysite

The name is permanent, but what it points to can be updated.

How ArNS Works

[Register name "mysite"]
         ↓
[Point to Arweave TX: abc123]
         ↓
[ar://mysite → arweave.net/abc123]
         ↓
[Update to new TX: def456]
         ↓
[ar://mysite → arweave.net/def456]

The name itself is an Arweave transaction. Updates are new transactions that the gateway resolves to the latest pointer.

Use Cases

Permanent Websites

Deploy a site, get a permanent URL:

1. Build: npm run build
2. Deploy: permaweb-deploy ./dist → ar://abc123
3. Register: myportfolio.arweave.net
4. Update: Point to new deploy whenever you want

Your visitors always go to myportfolio.arweave.net, you update what it serves.

dApp Frontends

DeFi interfaces that can't be taken down:

app.arweave.net → Latest version of your app

Even if you stop maintaining it, the last version remains accessible forever.

Content Creators

Memorable links for permanent content:

myblog.arweave.net → Your permanent blog
myart.arweave.net → Your portfolio
mymusic.arweave.net → Your releases

Registration

Name Pricing

ArNS names are auctioned and leased using IO tokens:

Name Length	Price Range
1-4 chars	Premium (auction)
5-11 chars	Standard rates
12+ chars	Lower rates

Registration Process

Check availability at arns.app
Connect wallet (ArConnect or keyfile)
Purchase or bid on the name
Configure to point at your content
Use immediately via AR.IO gateways

Developer Integration

Update your ArNS name programmatically:

import { ArIO } from '@ar.io/sdk';

const arIO = new ArIO();

// Update name to point to new transaction
await arIO.updateRecord({
  name: 'mysite',
  target: 'NEW_TX_ID',
  signer: yourSigner
});

ArNS + AR.IO

ArNS is powered by the AR.IO network:

[User types mysite.arweave.net]
         ↓
[AR.IO gateway receives request]
         ↓
[Resolves ArNS name to current TX]
         ↓
[Serves content from Arweave]

Any AR.IO gateway can resolve ArNS names, ensuring decentralized access.

Key Features

Feature	Description
Permanent ownership	Names exist on-chain forever
Updateable targets	Point to different content over time
Subdomain support	blog.mysite.arweave.net
Undername support	Additional records under your name
ANT tokens	Each name is controlled by an ANT

Undernames

Create unlimited subaddresses under your name:

mysite.arweave.net          → Main site
blog.mysite.arweave.net     → Blog
docs.mysite.arweave.net     → Documentation
v1.mysite.arweave.net       → Legacy version

Each undername can point to different Arweave transactions.

Name Ownership

ArNS names are controlled by Arweave Name Tokens (ANTs):

ANT = NFT representing name ownership
Transferable = Sell or gift your name
Controllable = Delegate update permissions

Why ArNS?

Traditional DNS	ArNS
Yearly renewal required	Own forever (or lease terms)
Registrar can revoke	Blockchain-secured ownership
Points to servers	Points to permanent content
Requires hosting	Content lives on Arweave
Single point of failure	Decentralized resolution

Getting Started

Browse available names at arns.app
Connect your Arweave wallet
Register your preferred name
Deploy content to Arweave
Configure your name to point at the content
Share your permanent, human-readable URL

The Permanent Web Address

ArNS completes Arweave's vision of a permanent web. Content that lasts forever deserves names that last forever. No renewals, no registrar dependencies, no expiration. Just your name, pointing to your content, for as long as the internet exists.

ArNS