What Are Domains?

Domains divide World Wide Web sites into categories based on the nature of their owner, and they form part of a site's address, or uniform resource locator (URL).  Common top-level domains are:

• .com - For commercial enterprises.
• .org - For nonprofit organizations.
• .net - For networks.
• .edu - For educational institutions.
• .gov - For government organizations.
• .mil - For military services.
• .int - For organizations established by international treaty.

Additional three-letter and four-letter top-level domains have been proposed, and some are likely to be implemented.  Each country linked to the Web has a two-letter top-level domain.

Read "Getting a Domain, or Web Presence" in the Internet Guide chapter "Creating a Website."

Visit the website of InterNIC, an organization that administers common domain names.

Get more details about domains through the Generic Top Level Domain Memorandum of Understanding website.

To learn more about the Web, visit the World Wide Web Consortium Web site.

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Copyright © 2001 Introduction to the Internet
Last modified: August 29, 2001