Understanding the differences between different domains can be crucial when building a website. Some domains are reserved for specific websites, while others have special purposes that one should be aware of.
Fortunately, there are methods for determining which domains are suitable for which website and which should be avoided. One can choose a domain name that will improve the user experience and branding of the site once they understand the many parts and types of domain names.
In this blog, we will go through what is a domain name, what are the different types of domains and how it works.
Table of contents
- Types of Domain
- Top-level domains
- Country-code top-level domain
- Generic top-level domains
- Second-level domains
- Third-level domains
- A Quick Look at how domains work
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a key part of the website. It is the website address that people type in the browser window to visit a particular website.
There are innumerable websites on the internet and domain names are used to differentiate between those domains. A single website can use only one domain name. It cannot be shared with other websites as it has a unique identifier attached to it.
Different types of domains
There is a division within the domain name registry that differentiate domains from one another. Each type of domain serves a different purpose. One can select a type of domain according to their requirements.
Below are the five types of domains based on their working nature:
1. Top-Level Domains
Top-level domains are at top of the Internet ranking of domain names. It is commonly referred to as TLDs. Top-level domains, sometimes called domain name extension, are the part that comes after the central domain name. For instance, the .com in ‘www.nike.com’.
Even though the .com is the most popular Top-Level Domain, there are thousands of types of TLDs available. Recently, ICANN (The Internet Corporation Of Assigned Names and Numbers) started launching new options to make it convenient for users to get a domain name that is not taken.
It is also important to know that Top-Level Domains are restricted to the type of user. For example, only government websites are allowed to take .gov.
Some examples of Top-Level domains are .net, .com, .gov, .blog, and .io.
2. Country Code Top Level Domains
A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain name that defines the domain for a specific country or geographical area. Every country has its own domain name, which is generally denoted by a ccTLD, which is two letters long.
The following are some of the most common ccTLDs:
- .us represents the United States
- .ca represents Canada
- .uk represents the United Kingdom
- .in represents India, and
- .au represents Australia.
3. Generic Top-Level Domains
The word “generic” in the phrase “generic top-level domain,” or gTLD, has a certain irony to it. Websites that use a generic top-level domain are respected, sought-after, and valuable to the companies and individuals who use them.
4. Second-Level Domains
The first wave of gTLDs appeared in the 1980s, shortly after the invention of the internet. They were created to assist the first generation of internet users in organizing their websites.
Despite their age of more than 30 years, the original seven gTLDs are still among the most popular top-level domains on the internet.
The original seven are as follows:
- .com
- .edu
- .gov
- .int
- .mil
- .net
- .org
5. Third-level domain
Typically, the third level domain is used to refer to a specific server within an organization. In larger organizations, each division or department may have its own third-level domain that can be used to effectively identify it.
The default third-level domain name, and by far the most common, is www.
A Quick Look at how domains work
You can find almost anything online by simply typing in a URL or entering a search query in Google. This process usually feels instantaneous, making it easy to miss what’s going on behind the scenes.
To get a better idea of what’s going on when you visit a website, think of the domain as an easy-to-remember phone number for the site. Businesses will sometimes represent their phone numbers as letters to make them easier to remember, such as 1-800-CALL-NOW.
Domains adhere to the same fundamental principle. Each website is hosted on a server with an IP address, such as 69.63.191.255. That is essentially the site’s phone number. However, IP addresses are just strings of numbers, so they are difficult to remember.
As a result, instead of seeing those IP addresses, we use simple names in their place. This works because of the Domain Name System (DNS), which we’ll go over next.
Conclusion
Whether you go with. blog or.com, with proper planning and a reputable web hosting company, you’ll be well on your way to having the website of your dreams.
Understanding the various types of domains is the first step in selecting the best one for your website.
Fortunately, knowing a few basic terms and concepts can quickly put you on the right track.