Domain Watchdog

Domain Watchdog is an open-source application that monitors domain names using RDAP, collects structured WHOIS/RDAP data, tracks historical events, and can trigger automated purchase attempts when domains become available. It centralizes domain lifecycle data, notifies stakeholders on changes, and helps with backordering and acquisition workflows.

Key Features

• RDAP lookups for structured domain, registrar, and entity data instead of legacy WHOIS parsing
• Historical domain timeline showing creation, transfers, renewals, and deletion events
• Automated domain backordering / auto-purchase triggers using provider APIs
• Watchlists and status monitoring with prioritized deletion-forecast ordering
• Notifications via email and pluggable webhooks (Slack, Mattermost, Discord, etc.)
• Intelligent RDAP request handling with caching and rate-limit awareness
• Docker-friendly deployment with environment-based configuration and customizable static content

Use Cases

• Track and forecast domain deletions to prioritize backordering efforts
• Monitor brand- or asset-related domains for ownership or status changes
• Automate attempts to acquire expired domains via supported provider integrations

Limitations and Considerations

• Backordering success depends on third-party provider APIs and does not guarantee acquisition
• RDAP/WHOIS protocols do not support reliable reverse lookups; discovering all domains tied to an entity is limited
• Some TLD registries expose limited RDAP history or enforce rate limits that affect completeness

Domain Watchdog is suited for domain portfolio managers, security teams, and domain investors who need structured monitoring and automated acquisition workflows. It integrates into existing tooling via APIs and webhooks and is designed for deployment via containers.