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