What is a domain?
Last updated 4 months ago
What is a domain?
A domain or domain name is a globally unique name for a specific area on the Internet. This name is usually entered in the browser in the form of a web address to access a specific website.
For example, domain names look like this:
How does a domain work?
Behind each domain is the IP address of the server on which the website is stored. Domains were invented so that you do not have to remember the long numerical strings of the IP addresses.
When you type in a domain in the address bar of your browser, a request will be sent to the corresponding name server. The name server searches its database for the correct IP address of this domain and transmits it to the browser. The browser can then display the desired website. This usually happens within milliseconds.
How is a domain structured?
Domain names are hierarchical and consist of three levels:
Top-level domains
Second-level domains
Third-level domains (also known as “subdomains”)
The individual levels are always separated by a dot.
For the domain example.mysecurepage.ch, the three levels are as follows:
Top-level domain
The top-level domain (TLD) is the last part, i.e. the extension of a domain name. For example, most Swiss websites use the domain extension “.ch,” while German domains have the extension “.de”. These country-code top-level domains also bear the abbreviation “ccTLD” (country-code top-level domain).
In addition to country-specific top-level domains, there are also generic top-level domains (abbreviated to “gTLD”). These do not designate countries but are dedicated to specific purposes and themes. For example, “.com” stands for commercial websites, “.biz” for shops and “.museum” for museums.
An overview of the top-level domains available at Hosthis and their prices can be found on our website.