II · Six rules, tried in order
The rules
What can a name be?
Name rules are short on purpose. Three to thirty-two characters. Lowercase letters, digits and hyphens. No hyphen at the start or the end, and no two in a row. Every name ends in .dot. The rules are tried in order, and the first one a name fails is the one you are told about. A name that passes and is not taken can be registered; the first owner to register it holds it. There is no review and no waiting list. Two names that differ by one character are two different names, so read the passport before you pay.
For example
my-dot-01.dot
example · passes
Letters, digits and single hyphens inside the word. Nineteen characters would pass too; thirty-three would not. An example of a name that passes every rule.
-Ada.dot
example · fails
A hyphen at the start and a capital letter. The first rule it fails is the one the app reports. An example of a name that fails.
On the timeline
Terms in this chapter
Every name ends in .dot.
checked when you search and again when you register
Three to thirty-two characters before the ending.
checked when you search and again when you register
Lowercase letters, digits and hyphens only.
checked when you search and again when you register
No hyphen at the start or the end.
checked when you search and again when you register
No two hyphens in a row.
checked when you search and again when you register
One holder per name. The first to register it holds it.
checked when you search and again when you register