Handshake

Handshake (HNS) is a decentralized, distributed permissionless naming protocol. In this alt root, every peer validates and manages the root zone, obviating the need for Certificate Authorities and naming systems. Mainstream Top Level Domains rely on ICANN. Handshake is an experiment in other versions of the internet and ways it could be secure, resilient, and useful via a peer-to-peer system. Handshake allows secure “light clients” (simple payment verification mode), whereas most other decentralized alt roots require every potential user to run a full node, which is like saving all the domains on one's computer. Handshake has pre-reserved names for many existing trademark name holders.