What Are Domain Names?
Domain names map websites names, through a Domain Name System (DNS), to actual locations, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, on the Internet.
Domain Names Connect to IP Addresses
Assigned IP addresses point to every computer or resource on the Internet. This address is a series of numbers and periods such as 315.149.202.1. However, these numbers are long and hard to remember. As a result, domain names make these addresses easier to remember and more meaningful to users. The host that connects your website to the Internet is a computer connected to the Internet. Subsequently, the Domain Name System (DNS) associates your domain name to this computer’s IP address.
Domain Names Are Organized Into Sub-domains
The Domain Name System (DNS) is organized with sub-domains under a root domain represented by a period (.). The first level or top level domains (TLDs) are the part of the name to the right of the period. Common ones are com, org, net, and us. While these are the most common ones, there are over 1,500 TLDs in all. Additionally, these top level domains have some common uses and meanings. Most, however, are not restricted in who can own them or what they are used for.
The second level domains are the part of the name immediately to the left of the dot. These are the common names people associate with a business, organization, or description of the website. For example, Websitesinten is the second level domain for this website, while the .com part is the top level domain. Together they are the domain name that users purchase to identify their website. Therefore, to identify this website, I purchased the domain name, websitesinten.com.
There are additional levels of subdomains separated by dots to the left of the first and second level. For example, a host might set up a third level to send and receive email. This subdomain for the site could be called mail. For this site, this is mail.websitesinten.com. A common third level domain name is www and is used to designate the world wide web. As a result, when you type www, you are actually typing a third level domain name. Most hosts point this to the original first and second level domain.
Domain Names and Websites Are Two Different Things
A domain name and a website are two very different things. Websites are the content that is made available on the Internet. Therefore, it’s look, feel, design, information, and content change over time. As a result the domain name or web address points to this changing content but remains the same. When a user types a domain name into a browser, a domain name server locates the name and points it to the IP address associated with the host where the website content is located. The “home” page for the website is then retrieved and displayed by the user’s browser.
The Domain Name Process Is Mostly Transparent to the End User
The good news for the end user or even someone hoping to start a website is that much of this process is transparent to the end user. An organization call the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) keeps up with domain registrations and ownership, and various registries control top level domains (TLDs) and the WHOIS tool for locating domain owners and administrators.
Registrars sell domain names to end users like you and me. Many of these registrars are also companies who provide web hosting to end users as a sort of one-stop shopping for setting up a website. For example, I get paid a commission if you click a link on this page and sign up for a domain and hosting by one such company, Bluehost. This website is hosted by Bluehost who also acts as the domain registrar for websitesinten.com and other domain names that I own. There are hundreds of these registrar/hosts available on the Internet that provide comparable services.
Choosing a domain name that represents a company, business, or service is the first and an important step in starting a website. Understanding how that domain name is used is useful but not essential in most of the process. Setting up a website will require a domain name and hosting which can often be handled by the same domain registrar and hosting company for a relatively low cost. Choosing a domain name is a first step to getting you or your business online quickly.