What Is an Internet Domain: Types, Examples, and DNS
Updated 4 days ago
A "domain," in Internet terms, is the name of a website.
A website's name is unique. There cannot be two identical domains. It is true that two similar ones may exist, such as "pepito.com" and "pepito.net", but we immediately notice that part of a domain's name is its "extension." In the first case, ".com," and in the second, ".net." So, we can see that a domain has two parts: its name itself and its extension.
Using our own company, Duplika, as an example, its domain name is "duplika.com".
Like name, like IP...
The domain name has its equivalent in a physical address for a website. In technical jargon, we say that a domain "points to an IP": IP is also a unique number, the identity of the physical computer that hosts the files making up the website. Just as a house requires an address with a ZIP code, a web page needs a domain name to be identified.
Thanks to this identity, in the Internet world a browser can bring text, images, videos, and so on from a physical server to our phone or computer. How? Because based on the domain name, for example "duplika.com", our Internet browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) obtains the IP number through an international "directory" called DNS. But we do not want to get too technical just yet, and would rather continue with the practical side, which is very interesting.
Choosing domain extensions
When purchasing a domain name, decisions must be made regarding both parts of the domain: its name and its extension.
"MyCompany.com" or "MyCompany.com.ar"? The quick answer is another question: will my audience be "limited" to Argentina (com.ar) or will it be the entire world (.com)? Keep in mind that trying to cover too much means accomplishing little. Let us remember that anyone from anywhere in the world can access our website; therefore, the most important thing is to clearly understand our audience so that we can optimize our content, improve how we communicate it, and enhance our SEO.
It goes without saying that Spanish in Spain is "different" from Spanish in Argentina. If our audience is Spanish, we will see forms such as "vosotros estáis..." instead of "ustedes están," among thousands of other differences. Using this logic, we must evaluate a domain's extension. If it is ".es," the content is written for people in Spain. If it is ".mx," it is for Mexicans, and so on.
But before thinking too much about it, let us always check whether the domain we want is available!
We take care of maintaining your website
I want to check whether my domain is available now!
How do domains work?
Domains are "the human face" of a website. Behind the scenes, a "deliciasdechocolate.com.ar" is transformed into an IP number, and thanks to this, a connection is established between a server (computer) and our phone or PC. This connection allows the files that make up the site to be transferred to our device so that we can view and browse the web.
There are therefore two clearly differentiated sides interacting with each other: on the one hand, the domain name (the tip of the iceberg, the "what"), and on the other, the web server hosting the files (the endpoint, "where"). The hosting service, that is, the "where," is usually known as hosting or "web hosting." Next, we will see how to connect both parts.
What is "domain delegation"?
As we have been discussing, the domain name is the human face of a web address. On the other side, there is a physical server identified by its IP number. The process by which we "tie" the first to the second is known as "delegation".
Domain delegation is a virtual procedure for which we only need to know the DNS supplied by our hosting provider. Let us look at it in detail:
Before or after acquiring our domain, we must purchase web hosting for it (in fact, this is the service Duplika is best known for). Preferably, we recommend having the hosting ready in advance, precisely because this will allow us to find out the DNS or "domain server names"—primary and secondary—corresponding to the server where we will host our website.
For example, in Duplika's case, the server names are ns1.duplika.com and ns2.duplika.com (primary and secondary—"auxiliary"—server, respectively).
The virtual procedure through which we delegate—link our domain name to the server—varies depending on the site where we purchased the domain. However, it is essentially always the same. Somewhere, we will be able to "edit" our domain to add this information.
If you prefer to purchase a domain through Duplika, the delegation procedure is completed for the customer's convenience.
For example, if we purchased a .com.ar domain through nic.ar, the precise instructions can be found here.
If, on the other hand, we acquired our domain name through GoDaddy, after logging in to our account, the process is as follows:
And then:
This is only an example of how to delegate DNS, since each registrar may show different variations of the same process.
Who owns domains?
When we purchase a domain through a secure and reputable channel, we are the domain's owners. This becomes clear when entering the registered holder's information: ownership of the domain belongs to the person designated as the holder, regardless of who pays with the credit card. If we use an agency or web designer, we must make sure they are purchasing the domain with our information and NOT their own. It is not uncommon for an advertising or web development agency to handle the domain name purchase for us, but acquire the domain in THEIR name and NOT ours. It is unethical and wrong in every respect, but it has happened and will continue to happen.
But who owns domain names that are still available?
Unclaimed Internet domains do not belong to anyone until someone registers them.
Domain names are essentially leased to individuals or organizations for a specific period, generally from one to ten years, by domain name registrars.
Domain registrations are overseen by an organization called ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). This entity specifies which domain extensions are available (.com, .net, .com.ar, .es, and all the many other extensions that have been created over time). ICANN does not govern the system, but it helps coordinate how IP addresses are assigned to prevent duplication or conflicts. ICANN is also the central repository of IP addresses from which ranges are provided to regional registries, which in turn distribute them to network providers.
ICANN does not manage registrations directly: registries maintain the databases for each extension and registrars process registrations, while IANA maintains the database of top-level domains and their managing organizations. We will discuss this later in the article.
How long do I own a domain name?
As long as we renew our domain when its expiration date approaches, we will virtually own it forever. Its expiration date depends on the date on which we purchased it and the length of time for which we purchased it. For example, if we register pepito.com on 03/13/2023 for a period of 5 years, the expiration date will be 03/13/2028.
When purchasing or renewing a domain, we can choose the number of years for which we want to have it. Some registration companies allow you to purchase a domain for a period of up to a decade. Nic.ar in Argentina, however, allows registration for one year.
What happens when I do not renew a domain name?
We lose it. Generally, we will have extra time (a "grace period") to renew it, depending on the registrar (15 days or one month). Nic.ar, for its part, explains its renewal policies here.
Generally speaking, we will always be able to buy it again (unless a third party does so first). Be aware that certain registrars may keep our domain if they consider it valuable. The goal is then to sell it for more than the usual price. GoDaddy is one of the companies that commonly engages in these practices when a domain name is "profitable."
Examples of this might include names such as "técnicodeaireacondicionado.com", "encontrarpareja.es", or similar generic terms that are interesting keywords for ranking on Google/Bing. Also, when a domain has been active for several years, GoDaddy may reserve it for a period to sell it at a higher price.
When the sale does not occur within a reasonable time, GoDaddy will release the domain at its standard price.
What does it mean to "redirect" a domain?
Domains allow the use of redirects, which, in practical terms, means that when a user types our domain name to access the site, they will automatically be redirected to another one (as users, we sometimes do not even notice).
Redirecting a domain name can be useful for campaigns and microsites, or for sending people to special pages on your main site. On an advertising poster, a short address such as www.celulares.com/sorteo is easier to remember than www.celulares.com/novedades/2023/galaxy/sorteo.html. A simple URL is therefore created that, when entered, automatically redirects us to the content that the site owner or company actually wants us to see within its main corporate website.
Redirects are also useful to avoid confusion with spelling. For example, if we visit www.fb.com, we will be automatically redirected to www.facebook.com.
Different types of domains
Domains can be divided into five types, each with specific characteristics:
Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD, 'generic Top-Level Domain')
Geographic Top-Level Domains (ccTLD, 'country code Top-Level Domain')
Second-Level Domains.
Third-Level Domains.
Sponsored Domains (sTLD, 'sponsored Top-Level Domain')
The first two "Top-Level" groups are also called "first-level" domains. Just to be clear, this is not related to quality but to a hierarchical arrangement that we will soon understand better.
gTLD: generic top-level domains
A top-level domain is exactly what it sounds like: a type of domain name found at the first level of the Internet domain name system. These are commonly used domain names—in other words, the most widespread internationally. gTLDs are not defined by a particular country. Classic examples include .com, .org, and .edu, but we also find cases such as .audio
Other examples of gTLDs include .mil (military), .gov (government), .org (for nonprofit organizations and various institutions), and .net, which was originally designed for Internet service providers (ISPs) but is now used more broadly and flexibly.
The official list of gTLDs is maintained by an organization called the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), and the complete updated list can be viewed here. This list also includes ccTLDs and third-level domains, which we will discuss below.
ccTLD: country-code top-level domains
ccTLDs use only two letters because they are based on international country codes, such as .us for the United States, .ar for Argentina, or .jp for Japan. They are often used by companies creating sites dedicated to specific regions. This is an excellent way to signal to users that the content they are viewing is current and/or specifically relevant to their region.
"Third-Level" domain names
Simple: they arise from combining the first two. That is, for example, a .com combined with an .ar (a generic top-level extension combined with a country-code extension).
Although the domain categories mentioned above are the most common, there are other "unusual" variations we may encounter.
Second-level domains
A less popular resource. The best example of these domain names can be found in England. British companies occasionally use .co.uk instead of .com. Another perfect example of a second-level domain is .gov.uk, which is often used by government institutions, while .ac.uk is used by academic institutions and universities.
sTLD: Sponsored domains
Yes, that's right. A sponsored sTLD, although it belongs to the top-level domain group, has a sponsor representing a specific community. Sponsors may be based on ethnic, geographic, professional, technical, or other concepts proposed by private agencies or organizations. They establish (and enforce) rules that restrict registrants' eligibility to use the sTLD.
Examples of sTLD domain names include those with the extensions .travel (sponsored by Tralliance Corporation), .tel (sponsored by .tel), or .aero (sponsored by SITA).
What are "subdomains"?
Subdomains are prefixes added to any domain name to separate a section of its website. Example: clients.miempresa.com (the subdomain in the example is "clients").
Admins and marketing teams primarily use subdomains to manage sections that benefit from their own hierarchy or from being separate from the site's main content. It is worth clarifying that subdomains function as an independent website from their main domain. Thus, the distinction of a "subdomain" makes it possible to develop a section of a website without interfering with the main domain's site.
Subdomains are useful in clearly defined cases: they do not require webmasters to acquire an additional domain name to create specific divisions or sections within their site. For example, Facebook uses developers.facebook.com to provide specific information for application and web developers who intend to use the Facebook API. Another great example is support.google.com.
Another common case is es.empresa.com (the subdomain where we will find the Spanish-language version of a site whose main domain uses a different language) or latam.empresa.com (where the subdomain presents content specific to Latin America).
Now that we know everything about domain names, why not get our own?
We take care of maintaining your website
I want to check whether my domain is available now!
Questions or inquiries? Write to us! We are here to help and advise you. Best of luck with your ventures, and thank you for reading.