Research: Handshake and Beyond URLs
Handshake = Decentralised Naming Layer
At its core, Handshake (HNS) replaces ICANN’s centralised DNS root with a blockchain-based registry of top-level domains (TLDs).
So instead of .com or .org being controlled by Verisign or ICANN, you can, by example, own .selfdriven directly — cryptographically, not via lease.
That makes it a trustless namespace — no central root authority, no revocation risk.
The Naming Layer Is Still Needed — Even for AI
Even in a post-URL world, something has to map human/agent intent → resource identity.
Handshake can provide that base layer of truth:
| Layer | Role | Handshake’s Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Identity layer | Who is this? | DID: did:selfdriven:foundation |
| Naming layer | What’s it called / reachable as? | HNS TLD .selfdriven |
| Intent layer | What do I want to do? | AI resolves action: “fetch the governance charter” |
Handshake anchors namespaces that can point to:
- DID documents
- IPFS hashes
- Smart contract endpoints
- Semantic graph nodes
- AI “intent brokers”
That gives AIs and humans a stable trust root when verifying provenance.
Handshake + DIDs = Verifiable Web Roots
A Handshake name could become a DID controller:
did:hns:selfdriven
That DID could reference:
- A DID document with public keys and service endpoints
- IPFS content roots (CID-based addressing)
- Proofs for credentials or governance artifacts
So HNS provides the anchor, while SSI provides the trust fabric.
From DNS → DRS (Decentralised Resource System)
Imagine the progression:
| Existing Web | Emerging Web |
|---|---|
| DNS (centralised) | HNS (decentralised) |
| URLs | DIDs / CIDs / Intents |
| HTTPS certs | Cryptographic proofs |
| Central CA | Self-sovereign verification |
In that sense, Handshake is the bootstrap system — it lets AIs, agents, and organisations reference authentic roots of knowledge or identity without trusting ICANN or Google.
AI Context Resolution Example
When an AI receives an intent like:
“Find the verified constitution for the selfdriven.foundation”
It might:
- Resolve
.selfdrivenvia Handshake (to get a DID or CID). - Retrieve the DID document for trust keys.
- Verify a VC (Verifiable Credential) containing the constitution.
- Serve the document with verified provenance.
All without https:// — but with stronger authenticity.
In Summary
Handshake gives AI systems a **neutral, cryptographic naming layer for:
- Decentralised trust roots
- Verifiable identity linkage
- Cross-protocol interoperability (DID/IPFS/Intent graphs)
Handshake is DNS for the self-aware web — where names don’t just locate things, they mean things.