What are Domain Names

A domain name, such as google.com, is a human readable identifier for a web site. These website identifiers are translated into an IP Address (ex. 216.58.216.110) by the Domain Name System (DNS) so that your computer can find the server where the web site files are located.

The domain name system is a network of servers designed to fulfill requests of domain names, in exchange for an IP address.

For example, you may look for a specific person in an address book and return with their mailing address. An IP address is like a mailing address, except for the Internet.

DNS servers are maintained by hosting companies, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), DNS companies, and many other organizations. With the right software, any computer can be turned into a DNS server.

Parts of a Domain Name

There are three parts to a domain. Take the domain “www.example.com”:

Subdomain	Domain	Top Level Domain
www	example	com

Subdomain

The first part of a domain name before the first dot. It is not a required part of a full domain name, so it will not always be present. A domain can define any number of subdomains.

Popular examples are “www”, “mail”, “app”, “blog”, etc. Each subdomain can be routed to their own section of a site or an entirely different server.

Domain

The primary domain is the middle part of a domain name or the first part in the case where no subdomain is present. This is the part unique to your site.

Top Level Domain (TLD)

This is the last part of a domain name. Popular top-level domains are “com”, “net”, “org”, “io”, “us”, and many others.

Some TLDs, such as “com” and “net” are global, whereas others, such as “us”, are country specific. Each primary domain is unique across a top level domain.

The TLDs are controlled by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). They maintain a number of databases around the world of who owns what domain name.

This is called the WHOIS database. It contains information about who registered the domain, their contact information, and where the DNS information for that domain are located.

What’s the difference between a domain name and a URL?

A URL is the full address to a resource on the web, such as “http://www.example.com/blog/”, whereas the domain name is the “www.example.com” portion.

Http is the protocol used for communicating between the computers. A protocol is a set of rules governing how that communication happens.

How do I get a domain name?

Domain names are sold through authorized registration companies. Pricing for a domain name can range from under $10, to more than $100 per year, depending on the top level domain.

The dot-com domains are the most recognizable, and therefore, are recommended for most cases.

Some domain registration companies:

Namecheap
This is the domain registration company I use for my own sites. They are fairly easy to use, have good support, and a clean interface.

Godaddy
Probably the most popular domain registration company out there. Their interface isn’t quite as easy to use as others but is functional.

What happens to a domain after it is allowed to expire?

Once a domain expires, the owner may have the option to keep it, for an additional fee. When that period is over, domains can be added to a list where potential new owners can bid on it in an auction style format. After a period of time, if there are no bids, the domain goes back to being available to register.

The secondary domain market

At any given time, there are millions of domains available for sale. In this case, registered domains can be transferred to a new owner, usually for a fee larger than the original value of registering the domain.

Some people make a pretty good living by buying recently expired domains and selling them at a higher value. The key to this business model is to market your portfolio of domains and get it in front of people who might want to purchase it for their use.

As with business name registration, certain laws exist for domain names as well. It’s best to stay away from registering any domain names with a trademark of an existing and well-established company. This goes for domain names of all levels.

An example of a domain buying and selling marketplace:

Flippa
An online marketplace for the buying and selling of domains, web sites, and apps.

Don’t use your hosting company to register your domain name

Many hosting companies will offer a free domain as part of a web hosting package. In many ways, this may not be a good move. Should you choose to move to another hosting company, it will be more difficult and time consuming to move to the new provider.

Using a company specializing in domain name registration gives you more control over your domain name and makes changes much quicker and easier down the road.

Terms Used On This Page

Database

A structured set of information or data stored in a set of tables. A table is like a single sheet in a spreadsheet, and a database would be the workbook, containing all the sheets.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

A company specializing in providing Internet service to homes or business for a monthly fee. Some examples are Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon.