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I built a Tool to Find Available One-Word Domain Names

I've searched for domain names quite often and enjoyed it a lot. I wrote a small nodejs program for domain hunting for some time. Decided to put it into a desktop app and push it this weekend.

This Domain Tool can help you:

  • Find one-word names (support English, Spanish, Dutch, and French)
  • Bulk check those names with the flexible option with extensions

Why a desktop app? For a few reasons, (1) I concern about privacy when searching for domains (might not be necessary, but I keep thinking about it). (2) I used some name suggestion web app and someday, they just went offline or disappear.

The Domain Tools is available (for MacOS and Windows) on https://ish.im

Feedbacks and questions are welcome

  1. 2

    nice one Hieu! love how simple the UI is. Also, the app icon is really cute!
    now I have more excuses to buy domains 😂

    1. 2

      Thanks, Hua. Sorry for giving you the excuse to spend more 🤣

      About the icon, I was trying to recreate it from a young fish (alevin stage)

  2. 2

    Also not convinced this should be a desktop app. Desktop apps can be insecure and web apps can be secure. I believe it has more to do with the developer's choices and not with the platform.

    Maybe there's some non-obvious privacy concern? In that case I'd mention it on the landing page.

    PS - love how you show dark/light theme options!

    1. 1

      Thanks, Giorgi.

      I think you're confused between security and privacy. It's privacy, and it's more a personal opinion. I had some cases as @curiouspm mentioned and not sure if the domain service wasn't accurate or what else.

      For the long term, I prefer a desktop app. I don't think online tools will last long. For example, I use Namemesh, but it has been offline for some time.

      There are a few people asking for the web version, and I'm thinking about pushing the desktop version

  3. 2

    Interesting. Congrats on the Launch. I think you should highlight the value proposition a bit more. Privacy is a big deal. I faced issues where some good domain names were booked by someone else after I did a search on a registrar's website and then listed as premium domain the next day.

    1. 1

      Thank you.

      What a bummer on the story you shared. I doubt that sometimes the registrar doesn't have the exact information about the domain name. It's disappointing

      In case you use the tool and have feedback, feel free to let me know

  4. 1

    I can't see why a desktop app is better. The privacy thing doesn't sound convincing unless the app checks each TLD registry separately, but then verifying it is not easy. And also it makes it really slow for bulk search.
    On top of that you get an ugly "This app cannot be verified by Apple... etc." when you try to use it for the first time. And 277Mb is kinda a lot. And you're missing out on all the mobile users.
    I'm guessing it's based on Electron so maybe offering the desktop app as an alternative to a website would be a better option?

    1. 1

      Not sure how often you search for domains. I do it a few times a week (not always buy though) and I wished there is a desktop app (and not everything should be on mobile).

      I use a handful of apps not verified by Apple, like VSCode, Github Desktop, Insomnia, and so on. I don't think it is as bad as you said

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