What is a Domain Name?
New computer users often confuse domain names with universal resource
locators, or URLs, and Internet Protocol, or IP, addresses. This
confusion is understandable. It is worth learning the differences
between them because these terms are ubiquitous. It is also helpful to
be able to use terms correctly when communicating to technicians or
other people within a professional organization.
This naming convention is analogous to a physical address system.
People find web pages in a manner similar to the way that they use maps
to find physical locations. If the Internet is like a phone book, and a
web page is like a physical building, the URL would be the precise
street address of that building. The IP address would be like the car
that travels to its destination. There are also other useful metaphors
for understanding this relationship.
Domain Names and URLs
The universal resource locator, or URL, is an entire set of
directions, and it contains extremely detailed information. The domain
name is one of the pieces inside of a URL. It is also the most easily
recognized part of the entire address. When computer users type a web
address directly into the field at the top of their browser window, it
initiates a process of locating the page requested. To do so, the
instructions contained inside the URL, including the domain name, must
correctly point to that location. The IP address is a numerical code
that makes this possible.
Domain Names and IP Addresses
An Internet Protocol, or IP, address is different than a domain name.
The IP address is an actual set of numerical instructions. It
communicates exact information about the address in a way that is useful
to the computer but makes no sense to humans. The domain name functions
as a link to the IP address. Links do not contain actual information,
but they do point to the place where the IP address information resides.
It is convenient to think of IP addresses as the actual code and the
domain name as a nickname for that code. A typical IP address looks like
a string of numbers. It could be 232.17.43.22, for example. However,
humans cannot understand or use that code. To summarize, the domain name
is a part of the URL, which points to the IP address.
What's in a Domain Name?
Domain names function on the Internet in a manner similar to a
physical address in the physical world. Each part of the domain name
provides specific information. These pieces of information enable web
browsers to locate the web page. The naming system is closely regulated
in order to prevent confusion or duplicate addresses. As demand
increased exponentially, a new Internet Protocol version, or IPv6, was
created to expand the amount of domain names available.
How do Domains Work?
Domain names work because they provide computer users with a short
name that is easy to remember. Users enter web addresses into the URL
field at the top of their browser's page from left to right. The domain
name itself is read from right to left according to the naming hierarchy
discussed below. This link provides directions to the network, which
ultimately results in a successful page load at the client end of the
transaction.
The common fictitious domain name, www.example.com, is comprised of three essential parts:
- .com - This is the top-level domain.
- .example. - This is a sub-domain.
- www. - This is a sub-domain prefix for the World Wide Web. The
original use of this prefix was partly accidental, and pronunciation
difficulties raised interest in creating viable alternatives.
Many servers use a three-letter naming convention for top-level
domains, and they are separated from sub-domains by a dot. The
significance of the top-level domain is the most important for new users
to grasp. It identifies the highest part of the naming system used on
the Internet. This naming system was originally created to identify
countries and organizations as well as categories.
The most common categories are easily recognized by new computer users, and they include:
A significant expansion of the top-level domains occurred, and they now include:
Country codes are also easily recognizable to new users because the
abbreviations are the same ones used for other purposes. The
organization of the domain name hierarchy and the ability to reserve
them for only one purpose has already undergone several modifications.
Discussions and debates concerning the availability and afford-ability
of domain names can be expected to continue.
Sub-domains are organized to the left of the top-level domain, and
this is the part of the domain system that is most recognizable to
humans. It is common to see several levels of sub-domains, and some
countries developed specific conventions of organization to communicate
information within their internal naming systems.
- reference Godaddy
