So, what is a domain name actually? In this short knowledge article, we clarify common questions about domains and domain names.
A domain is a human-readable and easy-to-remember name that identifies a website or an internet-based application. It acts as an address that allows users to locate a website easily. For example, “makeitwork.press” is a domain name that represents the website of this website.
What does a domain look like?
A domain usually is constructed from two parts, the domain itself and the domain extension or
Moreover, a domain name can only contain letters (a to z), numbers (0 to 9), and hyphens (-). Fortunately, it can’t contain spaces or any other special characters. The domain name must also start and end with a letter or number, and cannot begin or end with a hyphen.
Additionally, the length of a domain name must not exceed 63 characters. The domain name must also adhere to specific rules set by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization responsible for managing domain names.
Are URL and domain the same?
A domain is not similar to a URL, but is usually part of a url. An URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a specific type of address that defines the location of a resource on the internet. It is the full address of a web page and includes the domain name as well as additional information such as the protocol used (e.g. “https://”) and the specific page or file on the website (e.g. “/services”).
An example of a full URL would be https://makeitwork.press/wordpress/management-hosting/.
How is a domain connected to a website?
A domain name is connected to a website through the process of domain name resolution. This process involves mapping the domain name to the IP address of the server where the website is hosted. Usually, a server is a computer connected to the internet, which also has a specific numerical address such as 45.67.123.32.
When a user types a domain name into their browser, the browser sends a request to a domain name server (DNS) to translate the domain name into its associated IP address. The DNS then returns the IP address to the browser, which then sends a request to the server at that IP address to retrieve the website.
To connect a domain name to a website, the domain name must first be registered with a domain registrar. The registrar will then associate the domain name with the IP address of the server where the website is hosted. This association is stored in the domain name server and is used to translate the domain name into the correct IP address whenever a user requests the website.
What are good places to get a domain?
There are many registrars and web hosting companies that provide domain registration services. Our favorite two are:
- Namecheap: relatively cheap domain registration with a clear interface.
- Cloudflare: domain registration that comes with an awesome free DNS and optional CDN service.
Do you have any favorite domain providers? We would love to know!