Domain Registration

🌍 What Is Domain Registration?

• Definition: Domain registration is the process of reserving a human‑readable name (like example.com) in the Domain Name System (DNS), which maps names to IP addresses.
• Purpose: Makes websites and services easier to access without needing to remember numeric IP addresses.
• Infrastructure Role: Part of the internet naming system, alongside IP allocation.

🧩 Governance & Hierarchy

1. ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)
   • Oversees the global DNS root.
   • Coordinates domain name policies.
2. Registries
   • Manage specific top‑level domains (TLDs).
   • Examples:
     • Verisign → .com, .net
     • Public Interest Registry → .org
     • Country code registries → .ph (Philippines), .uk (United Kingdom).
3. Registrars
   • Companies accredited by ICANN to sell domain names to the public.
   • Examples: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains.
4. End Users / Organizations
   • Register domains via registrars.
   • Domains must be renewed periodically (usually yearly).

📊 Domain Name Space

• Structure:
  • Root (.) → Top‑Level Domains (TLDs) → Second‑Level Domains → Subdomains.
  • Example: www.example.com
    • Root: .
    • TLD: .com
    • Second‑Level: example
    • Subdomain: www
• Types of TLDs:
  • gTLDs (Generic): .com, .org, .net, .info
  • ccTLDs (Country Code): .ph, .uk, .jp
  • New gTLDs: .app, .shop, .xyz

📌 Reserved Domains

Certain domains are reserved and cannot be registered:

• Example domains: example.com, example.net, example.org (used for documentation).
• Test domains: test, invalid.
• Infrastructure domains: .arpa (used for technical purposes like reverse DNS).