The first .com was introduced January 1985. It was created to represent the “commercial” intent of a website.
.com, .net, and .org are the original Top Level Domains. (TLD)
.com was for commercial websites but have become so popular that whether it is a blog or recipe website, the .com is the preferred choice.
.net is typically associated with network services.
.org is the short version of organization. It started as a TLD for non-profits but that no longer applies.
gTLDs (Generic Top-Level Domains): These are the most common types of TLDs and are not associated with any specific country. Some examples include:
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- .com (commercial)
- .org (organization)
- .net (network)
- .edu (education)
- .gov (government)
- .info (information)
ccTLDs (Country Code Top-Level Domains): These TLDs are associated with specific countries or territories. They are typically two-letter abbreviations representing the country or territory. Some examples include:
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- .us (United States)
- .uk (United Kingdom)
- .de (Germany)
- .jp (Japan)
- .cn (China)
- .in (India)
sTLDs (Sponsored Top-Level Domains): These TLDs are specialized and sponsored by specific organizations or communities. They often have eligibility restrictions for registration. Examples include:
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- .gov (restricted to U.S. government entities)
- .edu (restricted to educational institutions in the United States)
- .mil (restricted to the U.S. military)
- .aero (restricted to the aviation industry)
- .museum (restricted to museums and related organizations)
Each type of TLD serves a specific purpose and helps organize the internet by providing information about the type of organization or the geographical location associated with a domain name.