user guide · v1.0
Welcome to HostDec
Everything you need to know to register your decentralized domain, publish your website and operate in the marketplace. No prior technical knowledge required.
Contents
01 · What is HostDec?
Decentralized hosting on the blockchain
HostDec is a platform that lets you register web domains like yourname.hostdec permanently, without depending on any centralized company. Each domain is an NFT (unique token on the blockchain) that you control 100% from your own wallet.
No annual renewals
Pay once and the domain is yours forever. No fees or expiration dates.
100% under your control
Nobody can take your domain away. It is registered on the blockchain and only you can transfer or sell it.
Decentralized hosting
Your website is stored on IPFS, a distributed network of computers. There is no server that can go down.
The domain is an NFT
You can sell it, transfer it or collect it like any other NFT on marketplaces like OpenSea.
02 · Getting started
What you need before starting
To use HostDec you only need two things: a wallet and HDEC tokens. We explain how to get each one.
1
Install MetaMask
MetaMask is a free browser extension that works as your digital wallet.
Download it from metamask.io and install the extension on Chrome, Firefox or Brave.
Follow the steps to create your wallet and keep your 12 secret words in a safe place, never share them with anyone.
2
Set up the Arbitrum One network
HostDec operates on the Arbitrum One network, which is faster and cheaper than Ethereum.
To add it to MetaMask, open the wallet, click the network selector at the top and search for "Arbitrum One".
If it does not appear, you can add it from chainlist.org by searching "Arbitrum One" and clicking "Add to MetaMask".
3
Get some ETH on Arbitrum
You will need a small amount of ETH on Arbitrum One to pay network fees (gas fees). $1–2 USD worth of ETH is more than enough to operate for a long time.
You can buy ETH from an exchange (Binance, Coinbase) and transfer it to Arbitrum One, or use a bridge from the Ethereum mainnet.
4
Get HDEC tokens
HDEC tokens are the currency of HostDec. You need them to register domains.
You can get them from the Get Token section of the DApp using a decentralized exchange (swap). We explain this in detail in the next section.
5
Connect your wallet to HostDec
Click the "Connect wallet" button at the top right of any page of the DApp. MetaMask will ask for confirmation. Once connected, you can register domains.
First time with crypto? Don't worry. MetaMask is the most widely used wallet in the world and has step-by-step guides. The most important thing is to never share your 12 recovery words with anyone.
03 · Token HDEC
What is the HDEC token and how to get it?
HDEC is the native token of HostDec. It is used to pay for domain registration. The shorter your domain name, the more expensive it is (short domains are more valuable).
Network
Arbitrum One
Symbol
HDEC
Where to get it
Get Token section ↗
How to buy HDEC tokens:
1
Go to "Get Token"
En el menú lateral, entrá a la sección Token → Get Token.
2
Connect your wallet
Click "Connect wallet" if you have not done so yet. Make sure you are on the Arbitrum One network.
3
Do the swap (exchange)
In the swap widget, enter the amount of ETH you want to convert to HDEC, review the price and click "Swap". Confirm the transaction in MetaMask.
4
Done! The HDEC appears in your wallet
In a few seconds the HDEC tokens will appear in your MetaMask. If you do not see them, you can add the token manually using the contract address shown in the Token section of the DApp.
Tip: To register a domain of 7 or more characters you need 100 HDEC. Buy a little more than needed to cover future updates.
04 · Register a domain
How to register your .hostdec domain
Registering a domain is quick and easy. The process requires two confirmations in MetaMask: one to authorize the use of your tokens and one to register the domain.
1
Ir a "Register Domain"
En el menú lateral, entrá a DApp → Register Domain y conectá tu wallet.
2
Enter the name you want
Enter the desired name in the text field. Only letters, numbers and hyphens are allowed. Minimum 3 characters, maximum 63. Click "Check" to see if it is available.
3
Confirm the price
If the domain is available, you will see the price in HDEC. Make sure you have enough balance before continuing.
4
Step 1/2 · Token approval
MetaMask will ask you to approve the use of your HDEC tokens. This is normal and necessary for the contract to charge the registration fee. Click "Confirm".
5
Step 2/2 · Domain registration
Immediately after, MetaMask asks you to confirm the registration. Click "Confirm" again and wait a few seconds for the transaction to be confirmed on the blockchain.
6
Domain registered!
Vas a ver un mensaje de éxito con el link a Arbiscan para verificar la transacción. Tu dominio ya aparece en My Domains.
Price by number of characters:
3 characters
10,000 HDEC
ej: "abc"
4 characters
1,000 HDEC
ej: "casa"
5–6 characters
500 HDEC
ej: "banco"
7+ characters
100 HDEC
ej: "minombre"
Important! Domains are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. If someone registers the same name before you, it will no longer be available. Registration is permanent and without renewals.
05 · Publish your website
How to upload your site to the domain
Once you have your domain registered, you can publish a website on it. The site is stored on IPFS, a decentralized network. To view it you need the HostDec Desktop App.
1
Prepare the site files
Create your website with the files you want (HTML, CSS, images, etc.). It must have at least one index.html file in the root folder. You can use any static site.
2
Upload the files to IPFS
Use a service like Pinata (has a free plan) to upload your folder to IPFS. After uploading, you will get a CID (unique directory identifier), which looks like this:
QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco
3
Ir a "My Domains"
En el menú lateral, entrá a DApp → My Domains. Vas a ver la lista de todos tus dominios registrados.
4
Update the domain CID
Click on the domain you want to update and paste the IPFS CID into the corresponding field. Click "Update" and confirm the signature in MetaMask (it is just a signature, not a paid transaction).
5
Site published!
Your site is now linked to the domain. To browse it, use the HostDec Desktop App which resolves .hostdec domains automatically.
What is the cooldown? After updating the CID of a domain, there is a waiting period (cooldown) before you can update again. This prevents spam. In the Dashboard you can see how much time remains.
06 · Marketplace
Buy a domain
In the marketplace you can buy domains that other users have listed for sale. Prices are in ETH and transactions are made directly on the blockchain through OpenSea.
1
Ir a "Buy Domain"
En el menú lateral, entrá a Marketplace → Buy Domain. Se carga automáticamente el listado de dominios disponibles.
2
Choose the domain you want
Browse the available domains, see the price and click "Buy". The transaction is processed directly on the blockchain.
3
Confirm in MetaMask
MetaMask will ask you to confirm the ETH transaction. Once confirmed, the domain is transferred to your wallet automatically.
Sell a domain
If you have a domain you want to sell, you can list it on the marketplace and receive ETH when someone buys it.
1
Go to "Sell"
In the side menu, go to Marketplace → Sell and connect your wallet.
2
Choose the domain and price
Select the domain you want to sell and enter the price in ETH. Set the price carefully because once published it is visible to everyone.
3
Approve and publish
MetaMask will ask you to approve the operation and sign the listing. Once confirmed, your domain appears in the marketplace. You can cancel the sale at any time.
Tip: Sales are processed through OpenSea, so the buyer can also find your domain directly on that platform.
07 · Desktop App
HostDec decentralized browser
To browse .hostdec domains from your computer, you need the HostDec Desktop App. This application acts as a special browser that knows how to resolve decentralized domains.
1
Download the App
Click Desktop App → Download in the side menu or visit hostdec.com/browser.html. Download the installer for your operating system (Windows, Mac or Linux).
2
Install and open the app
Run the installer and open the app. The first time you open it, it will connect automatically to the decentralized network.
3
Connect your wallet
From the app, connect your MetaMask wallet. This allows the app to automatically download the list of .hostdec domains and add them to the system.
4
Browse .hostdec domains!
Now you can type any domain like yourname.hostdec in the app browser and see the site published on IPFS.
Why do I need the app? .hostdec domains are not conventional internet domains, they are decentralized domains. Regular browsers (Chrome, Firefox) do not know how to resolve them. The HostDec Desktop App does that work for you.
08 · Frequently asked questions
What happens if I lose access to my wallet?
+
If you lose access to your wallet, you would lose control of your domains. That is why it is essential to keep your 12 recovery words (seed phrase) in a safe and offline place, such as on paper stored in a physical location. With those words you can recover your wallet from any device. Never store them in photos, emails or cloud services.
How much does it cost to pay gas (network fees)?
+
When operating on Arbitrum One, fees are very low, generally between $0.01 and $0.10 USD per transaction. You need to have ETH in your wallet to cover them, but a very small amount is enough for many transactions.
Can I transfer my domain to another wallet?
+
Yes. Being an NFT, you can transfer your domain to any wallet just like any other token. You can do it from the My Domains section or directly from OpenSea. Once transferred, the new owner has full control of the domain.
Can my website go down or be deleted?
+
The site files live on IPFS. As long as they are "pinned" (stored) on some network node, they will be available. If you use Pinata or another pinning service, they guarantee availability. The domain itself (the NFT) is permanent and is never deleted from the blockchain.
Can I change the website my domain points to?
+
Yes, you can update the IPFS CID at any time from My Domains. There is only a cooldown period between one update and the next to prevent abuse. You can see how much time remains until the next update in the Dashboard.
What happens to the HDEC tokens I used to register?
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The HDEC tokens used to register domains are consumed by the smart contract. They are not returned when cancelling or selling the domain. The payment is for the initial registration, not for maintenance.
Can I use uppercase letters or symbols in the domain name?
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No. Los dominios solo aceptan letras minúsculas (a–z), números (0–9) y guiones (-). No pueden empezar ni terminar con un guion. El mínimo es 3 characters y el máximo 63.
Do I need technical knowledge to use HostDec?
+
No. With this documentation you have everything you need to get started. All you need is to install MetaMask (it is very simple), get some ETH on Arbitrum and HDEC tokens. The rest of the process is guided step by step from the DApp.