What is a domain name?
A domain name is a hostname that provides a more memorable name to stand in for a numeric IP adress. Domain names are unique
and as such allows Internet users to more easily find server-based services that they are looking for. Additionally,
a domain name allows for a host to move to a different location in the topography of the Internet (ie a different IP address) while retaining the same alphanumeric domain name.
The domain name system is flexible so that multiple IP addresses can be assigned to a single domain name or multiple domain names assigned to a single IP address.
Domain names can consist of ASCII characters ("a" through "z" and the digits 1 through 9 as well as the hyphen). The Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) system was developed to bypass the restrictions on character allowances in hostnames.
This makes it easier for users of non-English alphabets to use the Internet.
What is a domain name registrar?
A domain name registrar is a company accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and/or by a national ccTLD authority to register Internet domain names.
These "retail" companies are often distinct from the "wholesale" domain name registry operator.
ICANN has authority over gTLDs, or Generic Top Level Domains. Examples of gTLDs include .com, .net, .org and .mobi. ICANN does not have authority over ccTLDs, or Country Code Top-Level Domains, though it is quite common for domain name registrars to offer ccTLD registration services as well.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Generic top-level domains |
| Unsponsored |
.biz .com .edu .gov .info int .mil .name .net .org |
| Sponsored |
.aero .asia .cat .coop .jobs .mobi .museum .pro .tel .travel |
| Infrastructure |
.arpa .root |
| Proposed |
Locations: .berlin .lat .nyc Children: .kid .kids Language communities: .bzh .cym .gal .sco Technical: .geo .mail .web Other: .post .xxx |
| Deleted/retired |
.nato |
| Reserved |
.example .invalid .localhost .test |
| Pseudo-domains |
.bitnet .csnet .ip .local .onion .uucp |
