Blog – The Architect’s Log

A domain is part of a network address on the Internet. It includes web site addresses (like http://www.mycompany.com/services), email addresses (info@mycompany.com), and addresses for other technical Internet protocols and services. Devices sharing this common part of an Internet address (or URL) are said to be “in the same domain”. Simply put, it is a unique identifier of a location on the internet.

Example:
In the URL http://www.mycompany.com/services/consulting.html
- “mycompany.com” is a domain
- “services” is a directory in that domain
- “consulting.html” is a file in the “services” directory

Types of Domains
As of this writing, there are 280 different domain name extensions. There are both generic domains (like .com and .net) and country domains (like .ca for Canada and .zw for Zimbabwe). Some domains have restrictions, like .edu (education) and .de (Germany) for example. You must run an actual institute of education to qualify for a .edu domain extension and will need to actually do business in Germany to obtain “mycompany.de”.

Domain Type Resources:
- List of Generic Domains
- List of Country Based Domains
- Domain Types Chart

While there are many domain extensions to choose from, Netdrafter recommends obtaining the following: (ordered from most desirable to less desirable)

Usage Statistics
The .com domain is by far the most popular and most recognized domain.

Need help selecting the right domain type for your business? Help is here! Contact us!

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