| A domain name is a name that identifies a computer | | | | of domain names and IP addresses. |
| on the net. This is the definition that we are concerned | | | | Currently this list includes following TLDs- |
| with as an online marketer. Technically domain name | | | | * .aero: Reserved for the global aviation community. |
| also implies many other relates meanings but we | | | | Sponsored by Societe Internationale de |
| would not consider them for a while. | | | | Telecommunications Aeronautiques SC (SITA) |
| Hostname or web address are more common terms | | | | * .asia: Reserved for the Pan-Asia and Asia Pacific |
| used for domain names. Domain names provide more | | | | region. sponsored by DotAsia Organisation |
| rememberable names to stand in for numeric IP | | | | * .biz: Restricted to businesses, operated by NeuLevel |
| address. It is because of domain names that you are | | | | * .cat: Reserved for the Catalan linguistic and cultural |
| able to remember the names of websites which are | | | | community, sponsored by Fundació puntCat. |
| actually represented by numbers. | | | | * .com : Operated by Verisign Global Registry Services |
| (It is easier to remember instead of 132.173.0.654.) | | | | * .coop : Reserved for cooperatives. Sponsored by |
| The flexibility of the domain name system allows | | | | Dot Cooperation LLC. |
| multiple IP addresses to be assigned to a single domain | | | | * .info: Operated by Afilias Limited |
| name, or multiple domain names to be assigned to a | | | | * .jobs: Reserved for the human resource |
| single IP address. | | | | management community. Sponsored by EmployMedia |
| Domain names are different from URLs. Let us take | | | | LLC,operated by Afilias Limited |
| an example to differentiate between domain name | | | | * .mobi: Reserved for consumers and providers of |
| and a universal resource locator | | | | mobile products and services sponsored by mTLD |
| URL: | | | | Top Level Domain, Ltd. |
| Domain name: In this example the domain name has | | | | * .museum : Restricted to museums and related |
| two parts yourdomain and .com. | | | | persons. sponsored by the Museum Domain |
| .com is called top level domain (TLD) and yourdomain | | | | Management Association (MuseDoma) |
| would be called second level domain. Similarly if you | | | | * .name: Restricted to individuals. Operated by Global |
| make a further subdomain and name it somename | | | | Name Registry. |
| then the address to that would become | | | | * .net: Operated by Verisign Global Registry Services. |
| In such situations somename would be called third level | | | | * .org: Operated by Public Interest Registry |
| domain. You can create any number of domains on a | | | | * .pro: Restricted to licensed professionals. Operated |
| TLD without any restriction. Domains of third and higher | | | | by RegistryPro |
| levels are commonly called subdomains. | | | | * .travel: Reserved for entities whose primary area of |
| You must have seen many kinds of TLDs when | | | | activity is in the travel industry. Sponsored by Tralliance |
| surfing the web. | | | | Corporation. |
| .com is most commonly used top level domain. Others | | | | But that is not all. Apart from these TLDs which are |
| which are commonly used are .org, .biz, .net etc. There | | | | called generic TLDs and are under direct control of |
| are many others TLDs which are permissible by | | | | ICANN, there are many country code TLDs or |
| ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and | | | | ccTLDs which are country or region specific. Thus .us |
| Numbers.) which looks after the work of assignment | | | | is for USA and .uk is for UK. |