whois.json when there is no WHOIS service

[Kuhl, Rubens]

Due to the migration to RDAP, a number of TLDs have been turning off WHOIS service. RDAP uses https transport so pointing there could work, but is there a way to test for the HTTP status code ? Because most times it will be a 404 error that signal the name is available. 

 

 

[RadWebHosting]

Any specific examples you're having trouble with?

[Kuhl, Rubens]

5 minutes ago, RadWebHosting said:

Any specific examples you're having trouble with?

.app is one of the many gTLDs that no longer has a WHOIS server. 

Note that https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/app.html does not include a WHOIS entry, and whois.nic.app no longer resolves.
What you see in their IANA page is exactly the address for their RDAP service. 

 

[RadWebHosting]

Here's an entry that's working in our dev install:

 

    {
        "extensions": ".app,.boo,.dad,.dev,.esq,.foo,.here,.how,.ing,.meme,.mov,.new,.nexus,.page,.phd,.prof,.rsvp,.soy,.zip",
        "uri": "https://pubapi.registry.google/rdap/domains?name=",
        "available": "Not Found"
    },

 

[Kuhl, Rubens]

On 8/1/2025 at 6:35 AM, RadWebHosting said:

Here's an entry that's working in our dev install:

 

    {
        "extensions": ".app,.boo,.dad,.dev,.esq,.foo,.here,.how,.ing,.meme,.mov,.new,.nexus,.page,.phd,.prof,.rsvp,.soy,.zip",
        "uri": "https://pubapi.registry.google/rdap/domains?name=",
        "available": "Not Found"
    },

 

That works for Google Registry TLDs, because they support RDAP Domain Search. 

The same can't be said about Amazon Registry TLDs, like .now. .now RDAP server also doesn't allow unauthenticated domain search, and while whois.nic.now still resolves, it no longer answers WHOIS queries.