Introducing Talia

2/15/2025

Have you ever searched for a domain name—just to see if it’s available—and then noticed it was mysteriously purchased by a large registrar the very next day? It’s a suspicious phenomenon that’s fueled rumors of domain front-running, where certain providers monitor your queries to buy domains and resell them at a premium.

I got tired of worrying about that possibility. I also didn’t want to rely on an online domain-checking API that charges fees or forces me to sign up for a premium plan. After all, WHOIS data is public, so why shouldn’t I be able to query it directly for free? That’s why I built Talia.

Why Talia?

Talia is a simple, open-source command-line tool written in Go. It connects directly to WHOIS servers, bypassing any middleman domain APIs or third-party services. Here’s what sets it apart:

•  No Accounts or Fees: Talia doesn’t require you to register or pay monthly bills just to do bulk domain availability checks.
• Front-Running Avoidance: Because you query WHOIS servers directly, your domain ideas stay local. You’re not giving them to a potentially shady API or aggregator that might register them behind your back.
• Programmable & Batch-Friendly: Store all your domain ideas in a JSON file and let Talia process them at once—no more clicking through web forms one by one.

The Problem with Online Domain-Checking APIs

Plenty of domain-checking APIs promise convenience, but they often:

• Enforce Strict Limits: You can only check a handful of names per day unless you pay.
• Require Credit Card Info: Even free plans often demand registration details before you can start.
• May Collect Data: Some have questionable privacy policies, and you can’t be sure they aren’t mining your domain searches.

By contrast, Talia just uses public WHOIS data. You talk directly to the source, no strings attached.

How Talia Works

1. Domain List: You provide a JSON file of domains you want to check. For example:

[
  { "domain": "example1.com" },
  { "domain": "example2.com" }
]

2.  Command-Line Execution:

./talia --whois=whois.verisign-grs.com:43 --sleep=2s domains.json

3. Direct WHOIS Query: Talia connects to the specified WHOIS server, sends each domain, and reads the server’s response for “No match for,” marking those domains as available.
4. Automatic Updates: For each domain, Talia writes the WHOIS log and availability result back into the JSON file.

By default, it sleeps 2 seconds between queries (configurable via —sleep) so you don’t overwhelm WHOIS servers.

Avoiding Shady Registrars

When you use Talia, your domain hunts aren’t routed through an online API that might log (and potentially act on) your searches:

• No middle layer: Talia’s queries go straight from your local machine to the WHOIS server.
• No suspicious sign-ups: There’s no account creation flow; you simply download Talia and run it.
• Peace of Mind: Whether front-running is real or not, you maintain total control over your domain searches.

Getting Started

1.  Install Go (1.16+).
2.  Clone the Repo:

git clone https://github.com/sustanza/talia.git
cd talia

3. Build Talia:

go build -o talia

4. Create a JSON file (like domains.json) listing your domain ideas.
5. Run:

./talia --whois=whois.example.com:43 --sleep=2s domains.json

Afterward, check the updated JSON to see which domains Talia marked as available.

Conclusion

If you’re skeptical of domain front-running or just weary of signing up for domain-checking APIs, Talia is a straightforward alternative. It’s free, open source, and queries WHOIS servers directly, so no third-party can spy on your domain ideas. You control the process end-to-end—just supply a list of domains, pick your WHOIS server, and let Talia handle the rest.

Try Talia today to see how easy it is to do batch domain checks without shady sign-ups and fees. Happy domain hunting!