Making a namespace is very expensive. Given the large amount of cryptocurrency at stake in name creation, developers wanting to create their own namespaces should read [Understand Namespaces]({{ site.baseurl }}/core/naming/namespaces.html) first. You should also read this document thoroughly before creating a namespace.
1. **Send a `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` transaction** ([live example](https://www.blocktrail.com/BTC/tx/5f00b8e609821edd6f3369ee4ee86e03ea34b890e242236cdb66ef6c9c6a1b28)).
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This is the first step. This registers the *salted hash* of the namespace with BNS nodes, and burns the
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requisite amount of cryptocurrency. In addition, it proves to the
BNS nodes that user has honored the BNS consensus rules by including
## Creation process
a recent *consensus hash* in the transaction
(see the section on [BNS forks](#bns-forks) for details).
There are four steps to creating a namespace.
2. **Send a `NAMESPACE_REVEAL` transaction** ([live example](https://www.blocktrail.com/BTC/tx/ab54b1c1dd5332dc86b24ca2f88b8ca0068485edf0c322416d104c5b84133a32)).
### Step 1. Send a `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` transaction
This is the second step. This reveals the salt and the namespace ID (pairing it with its
`NAMESPACE_PREORDER`), it reveals how long names last in this namespace before
This step registers the *salted hash* of the namespace with BNS nodes, and burns the requisite amount of cryptocurrency. Additionally, this step proves to the BNS nodes that user has honored the BNS consensus rules by including a recent *consensus hash* in the transaction (see the section on [BNS forks](#bns-forks) for details).
### Step 2. Send a `NAMESPACE_REVEAL` transaction
This second step reveals the salt and the namespace ID (pairing it with its
`NAMESPACE_PREORDER`). It reveals how long names last in this namespace before
they expire or must be renewed, and it sets a *price function* for the namespace
they expire or must be renewed, and it sets a *price function* for the namespace
that determines how cheap or expensive names its will be. The price function takes
that determines how cheap or expensive names its will be.
a name in this namespace as input, and outputs the amount of cryptocurrency the
name will cost (i.e. by examining how long the name is, and whether or not it
The price function takes a name in this namespace as input, and outputs the amount of cryptocurrency the name will cost. The function does this by examining how long the name is, and whether or not it has any vowels or non-alphabet characters. The namespace creator has the option to collect name registration fees for the first year of the namespace's existence by setting a *namespace creator address*.
has any vowels or non-alphabet characters). The namespace creator
has the option to collect name registration fees for the first year of the
### Step 3. Seed the namespace with `NAME_IMPORT` transactions
namespace's existence by setting a *namespace creator address*.
Once a namespace is revealed, the user has the option to populate it with a set of
3. **Seed the namespace with `NAME_IMPORT` transactions** ([live example](https://www.blocktrail.com/BTC/tx/c698ac4b4a61c90b2c93dababde867dea359f971e2efcf415c37c9a4d9c4f312)).
Once the namespace has been revealed, the user has the option to populate it with a set of
names. Each imported name is given both an owner and some off-chain state.
names. Each imported name is given both an owner and some off-chain state.
This step is optional---namespace creators are not required to import names.
This step is optional; Namespace creators are not required to import names.
4. **Send a `NAMESPACE_READY` transaction** ([live example](https://www.blocktrail.com/BTC/tx/2bf9a97e3081886f96c4def36d99a677059fafdbd6bdb6d626c0608a1e286032)).
### Step 4. Send a `NAMESPACE_READY` transaction
This is the final step of the process. It *launches* the namespace, which makes it available to the
public. Once a namespace is ready, anyone can register a name in it if they
The final step of the process *launches* the namespace and makes the namespace available to the
pay the appropriate amount of cryptocurrency (according to the price funtion
public. Once a namespace is launched, anyone can register a name in it if they
revealed in step 2).
pay the appropriate amount of cryptocurrency. Again, the appropriate amount is according to the price function
revealed in step 2.
The reason for the `NAMESPACE_PREORDER/NAMESPACE_REVEAL` pairing is to prevent
frontrunning. The BNS consensus rules require a `NAMESPACE_REVEAL` to be
## Consensus rules and competition for namespaces
paired with a previous `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` sent within the past 24 hours.
If it did not do this, then a malicious actor could watch the blockchain network
Namespaces are created on a first-come first-serve basis. The BNS consensus rules require a `NAMESPACE_REVEAL` to be paired with a previous `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` sent within the past 24 hours. If two people try to create the same namespace, the one that successfully confirms both the `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` and `NAMESPACE_REVEAL` wins. The fee burned in the `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` is spent either way.
and race a victim to claim a namespace.
Once a user issues the `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` and `NAMESPACE_REVEAL`, they have 1 year before they must send the `NAMESPACE_READY` transaction. If they do not do this, then the namespace they created disappears (along with all the names they imported).
Namespaces are created on a first-come first-serve basis. If two people try to
create the same namespace, the one that successfully confirms both the
Pairing the `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` and `NAMESPACE_REVEAL` steps is designed to prevent frontrunning. Frontrunning is a practice where name registrar uses insider information to register domains for the purpose of re-selling them or earning revenue from them. By registering the domains, the registrar locks out other potential registrars. Thus, through this pairing, a malicious actor cannot watch the blockchain network and race a victim to claim a namespace.
`NAMESPACE_PREORDER` and `NAMESPACE_REVEAL` wins. The fee burned in the
`NAMESPACE_PREORDER` is spent either way.
## Explore the namespace creation history
Once the user issues the `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` and `NAMESPACE_REVEAL`, they have
If you would like to navigate a namespace history, you can. To do this, do the following:
1 year before they must send the `NAMESPACE_READY` transaction. If they do not
do this, then the namespace they created disappears (along with all the names
1. Query a Blockstack Core server for a particular name.
they imported).
The format to query the Blockstack core server is:
Developers wanting to create their own namespaces should read the [namespace
creation]({{ site.baseurl }}/core/naming/namespaces.html) document. It is highly recommended that
For example, the `NAMESPACE_PREORDER` in this case has a `txid` of `5f00b8e609821edd6f3369ee4ee86e03ea34b890e242236cdb66ef6c9c6a1b28`.
3. Provide the id in a query to a blockchain explorer such as <ahref="https://www.blockchain.com/"target="_blank">Blockchain.com</a> or similar.
For example, a search on Blockchain returns this <ahref="https://www.blockchain.com/btc/tx/5f00b8e609821edd6f3369ee4ee86e03ea34b890e242236cdb66ef6c9c6a1b28"target="_blank">page of information</a>.