# ADA Handle

> ADA Handle is a Cardano-native naming service that replaces long cryptocurrency wallet addresses with simple, human-readable names called handles.

## What is ADA Handle?

ADA Handle lets users mint unique handles (like $jesse or $alice) on the Cardano blockchain. Instead of sending ADA to a 100+ character address like addr1qx2fxv2umyhttkxyxp8x0dlpdt3k6cwng5pxj3jhsydzer3jcu5d8ps7zex2k2xt3uqxgjqnnj83ws8lhrn648jjxtwq2ytjqp, you can simply send to $jesse, and wallets that support ADA Handle will resolve it to the correct address.

Handles are Cardano-native NFTs minted under a specific policy, making them fully on-chain, decentralized, and owned by the user.

## Key Features

- **Handle Minting**: Mint unique handles on the Cardano blockchain at handle.me
- **Identity Personalization**: Customize your on-chain identity with profile pictures, backgrounds, social links, and more
- **Sub-Handles**: Create and manage sub-handles under your root handle (e.g., $team@company)
- **Virtual Sub-Handles**: Lightweight, off-chain sub-handles for organizations and communities
- **Cross-Chain Addresses**: Attach addresses from other blockchains (ETH, BTC, etc.) to your handle
- **DRep Management**: Register and manage Cardano DRep (Delegated Representative) identities through handles
- **Handle Authentication (OAuth)**: Use handles as an authentication mechanism for web applications via auth.handle.me
- **Marketplace**: Buy and sell handles and handle-related NFTs at marketplace.handle.me
- **Gallery**: View NFTs held by any handle at handle.me/{handle}/gallery

## How Handles Work

1. A user visits handle.me and searches for an available handle name
2. The user connects a Cardano wallet (via CIP-30 standard)
3. The handle is minted as a Cardano-native NFT and sent to the user's wallet
4. Any Cardano wallet or service that supports ADA Handle can resolve $handlename to the wallet address holding that NFT
5. If the handle NFT is transferred to a new wallet, the resolution updates automatically

## Ecosystem

- **handle.me** - Main application for minting, managing, and viewing handles
- **mint.handle.me** - Dedicated minting interface
- **marketplace.handle.me** - Buy and sell handles
- **auth.handle.me** - OAuth authentication using handles
- **docs.handle.me** - Developer documentation and integration guides

## Technical Details

- Handles are Cardano-native tokens (CNTs) following the CIP-25/CIP-68 NFT metadata standards
- Address resolution works by looking up which wallet currently holds the handle NFT
- The system supports CIP-30 (wallet connector), CIP-8 (message signing), CIP-95 (governance), and CIP-103 (multi-sig)
- Sub-handles use a hierarchical naming system with @ as the separator
- Handle personalization data (images, socials, settings) is stored on-chain in the NFT datum

## Links

- Website: https://handle.me
- Documentation: https://docs.handle.me
- Marketplace: https://marketplace.handle.me
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/adahandle
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ada.handle
- Medium: https://medium.com/ada-handle
- Discord: https://discord.gg/sYkFgRQFwG