RDAP vs WHOIS

RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) and WHOIS are both protocols used to access registration data for domain names and IP addresses, but they have some key differences:

WHOIS:

• Legacy Protocol: WHOIS is the older of the two, having been around since the early days of the internet.

• Unstructured Data: WHOIS responses are often plain text and can vary widely in format, depending on the registrar or registry providing the data.

• Limited Query Capability: WHOIS generally supports only basic queries for domain or IP registration information.

• Lack of Security: WHOIS does not natively support encrypted communication, making it less secure.

• No Internationalization: WHOIS data is typically ASCII text, making it less compatible with international characters.

RDAP:

• Modern Protocol: RDAP was developed to address the shortcomings of WHOIS and provide a more structured and standardized way to access registration data.

• Structured Data: RDAP returns data in a structured JSON format, making it easier to parse and integrate with applications.

• Advanced Query Capability: RDAP supports more complex queries, such as filtering and pagination.

• Security Features: RDAP supports HTTPS, ensuring encrypted communication and improved security.

• Internationalization: RDAP is designed to handle internationalized domain names and data in multiple languages.

RDAP is intended to eventually replace WHOIS, providing a more robust and secure way to access registration data.sd