Domain

 

What is a Domain Name?

Domain name is the address of your website that people type in the browser URL bar to visit your website.

In simple terms, if your website was a house, then your domain name will be its address.

A more detailed explanation:

The Internet is a giant network of computers connected to each other through a global network of cables. Each computer on this network can communicate with other computers.

To identify them, each computer is assigned an IP address. It is a series of numbers that identify a particular computer on the internet. A typical IP address looks like this:

66.249.66.1

Now an IP address like this is quite difficult to remember. Imagine if you had to use such numbers to visit your favorite websites.

Domain names were invented to solve this problem.

Now if you want to visit a website, then you don’t need to enter a long string of numbers. Instead, you can visit it by typing an easy to remember domain name in your browser’s address bar. For example, wpbeginner.com.

6 Different Types of Domains

Of course, before you can register for a domain, you’ll need to understand the different options that are available to you. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the various domain-related terminology you’re likely to encounter.

1. Top-Level Domains (TLDs)

Each website’s URL can be broken down into different parts. Top-Level Domains (TLDs), sometimes called domain name extensions, are the part that comes right after your primary domain name (for instance, the .com in www.dreamhost.com).

However, there are many other TLDs besides just .com. You can choose from dozens of options, such as .net, .blog, or .io (which was initially a country code but has since been co-opted for the tech community). 

You’re probably used to seeing .com, .net, and a few other basic TLDs. As the internet expands, however, so does the need for unique domains. That’s why the ICANN started introducing new options, to make it easier to find a domain for your site that isn’t taken.

This means that domains are no longer bound to Latin-based characters, too. For instance, some domains use Chinese characters, Arabic, and even Cyrillic. Other domains are niche-specific, such as .biz for business websites.

It’s also worth noting that some TLDs are restricted, as we’ll expand on in the following sections. For example, only government websites can use .gov. Most are open for anyone to use, however, so you’re free to get as creative as you’d like.

2. Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD)

As we alluded to earlier, there are actually multiple types of TLDs. For instance, Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) are restricted to use in specific countries.

Consider Ireland, for example. Its ccTLD is .ie and is one of the safest to use. Other examples are the UK (.co.uk), Canada with .ca, and even the USA with .us. These can all be great options if the .com version of the domain you had set your heart on has already been taken.

However, keep in mind that if you’re aiming for an international audience, this kind of TLD can be a bit limiting. Many businesses actually use multiple TLDs for different regions, such as the BBC, which uses bbc.co.uk for its home audience and bbc.com for its international visitors.

3. Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD)

Up next are Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs). In fact, you already know what these are, even if you’ve never heard the term. These are the old stalwart domains that we are all accustomed to seeing, such as .com, .edu, .info, .org, and .net.

Originally, these were contrasted with ccTLDs, since there weren’t that many TLD options available. Now, however, we have a fresh generation of TLDs to pick from (often called “new TLDs”).

We’ve gone over a few of these new domains, such as .blog and .io, but there are many, many more. For instance, if you run a yoga studio, you might opt for the new .yoga in place of .com. There are also options such as .tech, .space, .shop, and even .art.

Therefore, when choosing a domain, you’ll want to think about what will work best for your brand and your audience and pick something memorable. After all, you want people to remember your website, so they come back time and time again.

4. Second-Level Domain (SLD)

At this point, we’ve covered the TLD section of your site’s domain name. However, what about the rest of the URL? That’s where Second-Level Domains (SLDs) come into play.

Let’s look back at our URL as an example: www.dreamhost.com. As we’ve seen, .com is the TLD. The SLD is what immediately precedes it, which in this case is “dreamhost”.

The SLD is what people will associate with your website. That’s why it’s vital to take some time and consider your choice. You’ll want to select something brandable, for instance, and gives visitors a taste of your site’s focus and style.

It’s usually best to start by settling on an SLD, and then start experimenting with different TLDs. You can also use our domain checker to see what’s currently available.

Just type in a domain name you’re interested in, and hit the Search button. You’ll be presented with multiple SLD and TLD options, so you can settle on the perfect domain name.

5. Third-Level Domain

We’ve now looked at two of the three main parts in any domain name. The last is appropriately known as the third-level domain (not to be confused with the top-level domain).

As we’ve discussed, within www.dreamhost.com the TLD is .com, and the SLD is dreamhost. That leaves us with the third-level domain, or the www section.

By default, your third-level domain will be www. That doesn’t always work for large companies who need more web pages, however. So you may sometimes see www1 or even www2 before the SLD in a domain name.

6. Premium Domain

Sometimes when you’re looking for a domain name, you’ll find that the one you want is already taken. That means it’s a premium domain — a domain that someone else owns.

The good news is that you won’t necessarily have to give up on that domain. Often, people will buy domain names and not use them. They may even be willing to sell a domain they are using, for the right price.

This is referred to as domain reselling, or buying a domain that someone else privately owns. In general, this involves paying a little more for it than a domain that isn’t premium. In some cases, however, very popular domains can go for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Such domains may have been bought because they’re short, have a popular TLD (like .com), or the owners anticipated someone would want to buy them down the line.

How Domain Names Actually Work?

To understand how domain names actually work, we will take a look at what happens when you enter it in your browser.

When you enter a domain name in your web browser, it first sends a request to a global network of servers that form the Domain Name System (DNS).

These servers then look up for the name servers associated with the domain and forward the request to those name servers.

For example, if your website is hosted on Bluehost, then its name server information will be like this:

ns1.bluehost.com
ns2.bluehost.com

These name servers are computers managed by your hosting company. Your hosting company will forward your request to the computer where your website is stored.

This computer is called a web server. It has special software installed (Apache, Nginx are two popular web server software). The web server now fetches the web page and pieces of information associated with it.

Finally, it then sends this data back to the browser.

How is Domain Name Different from a Website and Web Hosting?

A website is made up of files like HTML pages, website builder software, images, and more.

If the domain name is the web address of your website, then web hosting is the home where your website lives.

This is the actual computer where your website’s files are stored. Such computers are called servers and they are offered as a service by hosting companies.

To create your website, you need both domain name and web hosting.

However, it’s important to remember that they are two separate services, and you can buy them from two different companies.

Now you may be wondering, how would it work if you bought them from two separate companies?

You just need to edit your domain name settings and enter the Name Server information provided by your hosting company. Name Server information defines where to send user requests for your domain name.

We recommend getting both your domain name and hosting from the same company. This allows you to easily manage them under the same account.

For more details, see our guide on the difference between domain name and web hosting.