Developer launches 'Moshpit' to bypass ICANN domain rentals

A developer known as Chovy has launched 'Moshpit', a self-hosted alternative DNS root system designed to eliminate the recurring costs associated with traditional domain name rentals. The platform allows users to claim any one-level top-level domain, such as .eggs or .hacker, on a first-come, first-served basis. Once an ending is claimed, the owner can mint an unlimited number of subdomains for free, effectively removing the annual leasing fees typically charged by registrars and registries under ICANN contracts.

The Moshpit registry currently reports 5,679 claimed TLD endings, with the creator holding the majority of them. While Chovy has listed some of the namespaces they are holding for a few dollars to prevent them from remaining parked, any unclaimed endings remain free and available to the public. The system supports aliasing, allowing users to point one ending at another, such as directing .agentic to .agent, so that the entire namespace follows the reference unless a specific name is exempted.

Unlike the public DNS root managed by thirteen root servers, Moshpit operates outside the standard infrastructure. Consequently, names within the system do not resolve for users who have not configured their systems to recognise the alternative root. Resolution requires users to opt-in manually via a local resolver or a specific DNS-over-HTTPS endpoint hosted at https://dns.moshcode.sh/dns-query. The endpoint supports both GET and POST forms per RFC 8484, ensuring clients can query the system without altering their default network settings.

The platform includes tools for hosting websites via RSS or Atom feeds, which render into static sites and serve as a soft landing if a primary server is unavailable. For developers, Chovy offers templates including a Bun and SQLite service with Caddy, simplifying the process of standing up applications on the network. The creator emphasises that the system is strictly opt-in and will not automatically rewrite system resolvers, a design choice intended to prevent unintended configuration changes.

Living outside the public root presents structural limitations, as names will not work for anyone who has not opted in. However, the system offers a namespace with no landlord, meaning names cannot be revoked due to trademark disputes, registry acquisitions, or missed renewal notices. The project is hosted at app.moshcode.sh/pit, inviting users to build applications on a naming layer that operates independently of the traditional rent-collection business model.