What Is a Domain? Detailed Guide for Beginners

What is a domain? If you are new to the computer field or plan to create your own website, knowing about it is a crucial step.

Without complicated terminology, we have prepared a guide for beginners that explains in detail the definition of Domain name and how it works,  in an all-round way through easy-to-understand language and vivid examples. Keep reading!

What Is a Domain?

Simply put, you can imagine the internet as a city,  each website has a house in it, and the domain name is the address of that house. As long as there is an address, guests can visit easily.

In the beginning, people assigned a unique identifier, known as an IP address, to each host connected to the network to distinguish between a vast sea of computers or users. However, since IP addresses are made up of random numbers, such as 19.98.7.188, they were very inconvenient for people to remember — imagine how hard it would be to memorize all your friends’ phone numbers. To solve this issue, the Domain Name System, also known as DNS, was developed.

A domain name is composed of letters, numbers, and other common symbols.

🔥Here are some typical examples:

・xvpn.io

・google.com

・apple.com

・1337x.to

Compared to IP addresses, which only consist of numbers, these kinds of combinations, arranged in a certain order or format, are more regular and easier to remember and use. Users only need to enter the domain in their browser and easily access the corresponding website.

Of course, in practical use, both IP addresses and domain names coexist and correspond one-to-one—they both represent the same host.

The Structure of a Domain Name

As mentioned above, a Domain is like your home address. Just as a full address includes a street address, city, state, and zip code, a domain name has its unique structure. The “postman” of the internet uses this structure to guide you accurately to the correct website.

Generally speaking, a domain consists of 3 parts, arranged from left to right: the Third Level Domain, the Second Level Domain, and the Top Level Domain, separated by the “.” symbol.

Top Level Domain (TLD)

The Top Level Domain is the final part of the domain name, hence often called the domain extension. It is the “.com” part in “www.example.com.”

TLDs come in 3 types based on their usage.

Generic Top Level Domain (gTLD)

These TLDs are the most common and have no specific restrictions, meaning any individual or company can register one.

🔥Common examples:

.com: The most popular Top Level Domain, bar none.

.org: Frequently used for non-profit organizations, second only to “.com”.

.net: The best alternative to “.com”, suitable for any industry.

Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD)

These TLDs are based on country codes and serve as identifiers for a nation or region. Their purpose is to indicate whether a website is global or local, facilitating businesses in expanding their global operations.

🔥Common examples:

.us: United States.

.uk: United Kingdom.

 .cn: China.

 .de:  Germany.

Unlike gTLDs, ccTLDs usually have geographical restrictions, often requiring local residency or an established business in the region to register one.

Sponsored Top Level Domain (sTLD)

These domains are less common and have specific purposes. They are designated for certain organizations, communities, or industries by authorized entities. You can think of them as small neighborhoods in the city designed for certain special groups, accessible only to those who meet the criteria.

🔥Common examples:

.edu: Like a campus district for universities and colleges, open only to higher education institutions.

.gov: A block reserved for governmental departments, restricted to U.S. government websites.

.mil: Similar to a military base, exclusively for military-related personnel and organizations.

.museum: A dedicated exhibition area for museums, only usable by genuine museums.

Secondary Level Domain (SLD)

The Secondary Level Domain is the most prominent part of the domain structure, often named directly after a company’s name or brand, such as .google, .steam, and .Netflix. Similar to the “name of a street,” it defines the core identity of the website, making it more easily recognizable and memorable for people. It is the “.example” part in “www.example.com.”

Since the SLD is often the key to a website’s identity and character, many companies and individuals put a lot of effort into this part to ensure it is as simple and easy to propagate as possible.

Third Level Domain (Subdomain)

Before reaching the specific destination, the Second Level Domain is often further divided by Third Level Domains, also known as Subdomains. You can think of them as different room numbers in an apartment building or different departments within a company.

In “www.example.com,” the “www” is essentially a Subdomain, showing that the example website is part of the World Wide Web. However, as times have changed, “www” is no longer as important, and many websites have started to abandon it, opting to use “example.com” directly to simplify the user access process.

Of course, aside from “www,” many websites use Subdomains to organize content into different functional pages.

🔥Here are some examples:

blog.example.com: “blog” indicates that this page is part of the website’s blog section.

support.example.com: “support” indicates that this page is for technical support or customer service.

shop.example.com: “shop” indicates the website’s online store.

By effectively using Subdomains, website owners can efficiently showcase and organize their online content, enhance brand consistency, and improve user experience.

More to Share: Interesting Domain Names

Since domain names represent a brand, businesses, and individuals often use the structure of a domain to show their creativity and brand culture, attracting attention or strengthening users’ memory.

One of the most classic examples is Delicious, a bookmark management website. It cleverly utilized the domain structure by setting its domain to “del.icio.us,” creating a pun that reads as “delicious.”

Because of this, certain special Country Code Top Level Domains have become a tool for companies to show off their creativity. For instance, “.io” (British Indian Ocean Territory) and “.ai” (Anguilla) are often used by tech companies due to their association with high-tech and AI fields. For example, a company developing AI products might choose a creative domain like “best.ai” or “smart.ai.”

How Does a Domain Work?

As we previously mentioned, IP addresses and domain names coexist and both represent the same host. While domains are easier for humans to remember, computers cannot understand them. So how does a user navigate to a web page after entering a domain name in a browser? This is where the Domain Name System (DNS) plays a crucial role.

In practice, the DNS converts domain names into their corresponding IP addresses, ensuring that data requests can accurately reach the target server. This makes accessing network resources more convenient and efficient.

💡With the help of DNS, the domain name process works as follows:

・Enter a Domain: When you want to open a webpage, you need to enter the domain into your browser. You can think of the process as wanting to call a friend.

・Query Process: After receiving your request, the browser initiates a DNS query across a global network of servers. DNS acts like a phonebook, allowing you to find the corresponding IP address using a domain.

・Find the Address: Due to the vast number of names in the “phonebook,” the DNS query usually cannot find the answer directly. It navigates through multiple servers in a manner that includes local DNS servers, DNS root servers, TLD servers, and authoritative DNS servers, eventually discovering the correct IP address.

・Connect to the Server: Once the IP address is found, DNS returns it to your browser, allowing you to effectively “dial the phone number” and connect to the server at that address.

・Load the Webpage: After the connection is established, the website server sends the corresponding webpage data back to your browser. Now, you can freely browse all the webpage content.

Domain vs. URL, What’s the Difference?

By now, you know what a domain is, but you might have a new question – What’s the difference between the website address people often call, as known as a URL, and a domain name?

In simple terms, a domain is the website’s name, and a URL provides the complete address needed to navigate directly to a specific page within that site. It’s like needing to go to a cafe inside a shopping mall—knowing the mall’s location is one thing, but finding the cafe’s exact spot within the mall is another.

💡Typically, a URL is composed of the following parts:

Protocol – This is the internet protocol, such as HTTPS or HTTP, which defines how the browser connects to the server. It’s like deciding if you’re going to walk or drive to the cafe.

Domain Name – This is the name of the website, much like the address of the shopping mall, letting you know where to go.

Path – This is the specific location of a page within the website, similar to knowing which floor and unit the cafe is in the shopping mall.

To sum up, a domain name is actually a part of a URL.

What Are Domains Used for?

The following are the main uses of domain names.

💡Easy to Remember and Access 

Increase website traffic by making the website address easier for users to remember and simplifying access.

💡Brand Promotion

A domain name represents a company’s or brand’s online identity. A concise and catchy domain name aids in brand recognition and facilitates subsequent marketing activities, enhancing the brand’s market competitiveness.

💡Localization

By using Country Code Top Level Domain (such as .us, .uk) or multilingual Subdomains (such as en.example.com), businesses can better provide customized localized content for global users, optimizing the user experience.

💡Economic Value

Domains that contain popular words or are extremely short can have high economic value. Many people engage in domain investing, profiting from buying and selling these domain names.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A domain that is highly relevant to the business can improve the website’s ranking in search engines, significantly increasing visibility.

How to Get a Domain Name?

Currently, there are two main ways to obtain a domain name:

・Purchase an existing domain: Buy the rights to use a domain from someone who already owns it.

・Register a new domain: If you have a new domain name in mind, you can register it through a domain registration website.

🔥Steps to Register a new domain

Step 1. Prepare Information: Gather relevant personal or business info.

Step 2. Choose a Domain Registrar: Find a reliable domain registrar.

Here are some popular domain registrars:

・Domain.com・Hostinger・GoDaddy・Namecheap

Step 3. Check Domain Availability: On the registrar’s website, verify that your chosen domain is not already registered.

Step 4. Apply for the Domain: Register now and fill out the necessary info.

Step 5. Make a Payment: Select a payment method and complete it. 

💡Note that domains usually have a set registration period, and you’ll need to renew them periodically to maintain ownership, or else they will be released and potentially registered by someone else.

Pro Tip: How to Hide Your Browsing History?

As mentioned above, when you visit a website, your browser uses DNS to locate and access specific pages through the domain/URL. However, please be aware that each time you access a webpage, a significant amount of info about your online activities may be exposed.

Whether you are browsing new websites or visiting frequently used domains, your browsing history might be tracked and recorded by your ISP. Some hackers or malicious third parties might even exploit this info to launch DDoS attacks or phishing against you, which is indeed concerning.

Protect Your Online Privacy with X-VPN

If privacy is important to you and you want to avoid having your browsing history exposed, consider using X-VPN. 

X-VPN safeguards your internet traffic with top-tier VPN encryption technology, completely hiding the domains and URLs you visit. Additionally, with 8000+ high-speed servers worldwide, X-VPN can change your IP address, allowing you to unblock global content without revealing your actual location or identity.

It’s noteworthy that X-VPN offers an unlimited-use free version, allowing access to 1000+ free servers without login. Click the button below to get a VPN download and protect your online privacy, so you can confidently browse any domain or URL.

💡You can also read this blog to know more about 30 Top VPN Features: How They Work?

Conclusion

After reading our blog, you should have a more comprehensive understanding of a domain. It plays a crucial role in brand building and helps you navigate to your desired websites more quickly and easily. However, in the digital age, it is important to hide your browsing history too. We recommend using X-VPN to ensure a secure and private browsing experience. Hit the button and use it for free!

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