# Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP)
The Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) is an alternative protocol to WHOIS that specifies how to access internet resource registration data. It is specifically designed to address various shortcomings in WHOIS. It makes use of HTTPS and follows a RESTful (representational state transfer) web services model.
# Using RDAP to query the RIPE Database
The contents of RIPE database can be accessed using RDAP via https://rdap.db.ripe.net/{objectType}/{key} where {objectType} must be one of the object types listed below, and the value of {key} depends on the object type.
List of supported object types
| Object Type | Description |
|---|---|
| autnum | AUT-NUM objects. Example: https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/3333 |
| domain | DOMAIN objects. Example: https://rdap.db.ripe.net/domain/193.0.6.139.in-addr.arpa |
| ip | INETNUM and INET6NUM objects. Example: https://rdap.db.ripe.net/ip/193.0.0.0/21 or https://rdap.db.ripe.net/ip/2001:67c:2e8::/48 |
| entity | PERSON, ROLE, ORGANISATION and MNTNER objects. Example: https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entity/RIPE-NCC-MNT |
For example, a query for IP information:
curl -v https://rdap.db.ripe.net/ip/2001:67c:2e8:9::c100:14e6
and an example query for domain information:
curl -v https://rdap.db.ripe.net/domain/193.0.6.139.in-addr.arpa
If the RIPE Database is not authoritative for the requested resource, the response will redirect to the authoritative RIR with a HTTP 301 response status.
# Entity Search
The entities path segment allows searching for matching entities based on a term. The output is an array with objects in RDAP format.
Syntax:
https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entities?fn={fn}&handle={handle}
Where:
- fn: Returns all the matches for person:, role:, and org-name: attributes.
- Example: https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entities?fn=RIPE-RIPE
- handle: Returns all the matches for organisation:, nic-hdl: attributes.
- Example: https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entities?handle=RIPE-RIPE
# Domain Search
The domains path segment allows searching for matches based on a term. The output is an array with objects in RDAP format.
Syntax:
https://rdap.db.ripe.net/domains?name={name}
Where:
- name: Returns all the matches for the domain: attribute
- Example: https://rdap.db.ripe.net/domains?name=196.46.95.in-addr.arpa
# Help
The help path segment return a valid RDAP object containing the default set of notices for the service. The rdapConformance element in the response include the extension identifiers for all the extensions implemented.
Syntax:
https://rdap.db.ripe.net/help
# RDAP Specification
The RDAP protocol is specified in the following RFCs:
- RFC 7480 (opens new window) – HTTP Usage in the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP)
- RFC 7481 (opens new window) – Security Services for the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP)
- RFC 9082 (opens new window) – Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) Query Format
- RFC 9083 (opens new window) – JSON Responses for the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP)
- RFC 7484 (opens new window) – Finding the Authoritative Registration Data (RDAP) Service
- RFC 7485 (opens new window) – Inventory and Analysis of WHOIS Registration Objects
# RDAP profiles
In addition to the base RDAP specification, we also implement the following profiles:
- NRO RDAP Profile (opens new window).
- NRO RDAP cidr (opens new window).
- Redacted (opens new window).
- RIR search (opens new window)
# Known Issues
Known issues with the RDAP implementation for RIPE Database can be found on GitHub (opens new window).