Domain Name - A2Z

Do you know "What is a domain name"? What are its different parts? What is the difference between domain and URL? Get all the answers to find out a perfect web address for your own.


What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is an unique web address for your website. For example howtoanything.com is the domain name of a website. With the Domain Name System (DNS) you can create your desired name for your website which when entered into a web browser leads to your website.

What is an IP Address?

IP (Internet Protocol) is a standard for communication by which each device like a server, desktop, laptop, printer, modem, fax, etc, that is linked up in the computer internet network, is assigned a unique identifier number, for extending to it, the ability to locate and communicate with each other.Just like your house has a mailing address that is unique for it and based on which you receive your correct mail or courier, similarly an IP address is the unique number assigned to the device or entity on the internet network so that you receive your correct information or data.
The format of an IP address is a 32-bit numeric address written as four numbers separated by periods. Each number can be zero to 255. For example 67.222.137.213 is the IP address of nanosoftware.org

What is DNS?

DNS is the acronym for Domain Name System. This system translates the number format of your IP address to the word format that is domain name. It is done because it is relatively easier to remember words than the 32-bit numeric address.From the above example, you will note that it is more convenient to know about a website, or any device for that matter, by a worded name rather than humanly meaningless numbers. Similarly it is easier to name an e-mail address as info@nanosoftware.org than service@67.222.137.213.
The domain name system makes it possible to assign domain names to groups of Internet users in a meaningful way, independent of each user's physical location.
The DNS system thus renders order to the internet traffic, without which there would have been chaos far beyond anyone’s imagination.


What are the Parts of a Domain Name?
Each domain name consists of two parts-
i) Top Level Domain - A top-level domain or TLD is the part of the domain name stayed to the right of the dot. The most common top-level domains are .COM, .NET, and .ORG. Some other popular top-level domains are .BIZ, .INFO, .NAME and .IN etc.ii) Second Level Domain -  The second-level domain name is the part of the domain name located to the left of the dot. nanosoft is the second-level domain name and represents the organization or entity behind the internet. Second Level Domain name must be registered with an Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) - accredited registrar.


What is a Subdomain?
A subdomain is a domain name that is a part of the main domain. It is used to organize a website with regard to various functions, sections, topics, etc.
For example www.nanosoftware.org is the main domain name. They have a blog site and its address www.blog.nanosoftware.org. Here the word "blog." is the subdomain for www.nanosoftware.org. Similarly they have other subdomains too which are other sections of their main website and these look like www.forum.nanosoftware.org, www.demos.nanosoftware.org etc.

Subdomains are also known as the Third Level Domains. As seen in the above examples subdomains are prefixed to the left of the Second Level Domain name and the two are separated by a period.

What is Difference Between Domain Name and URL?

URL is the acronym for Uniform Resource Locator, and it defines the path to reach a website or its documents.A domain name is the unique name assigned to a website. In contrast, a URL is the address to reach that website, or to a specific file, page, section, etc on that website.
For example “www.nanosoftware.org” is the domain name of this website and the URL for its home page is written as:
http:www.nanosoftware.org/index.php
Thus a URL consists of the following, from left to right:

• - Protocol identifier – http in the above example
• - Colon :
• - Two back slashes //
• - Subdomain (Third Level Domain name) or “www” as the default subdomain, followed
•    by a dot.
• - Domain Name or IP Address (Second Level Domain name), followed by a dot.
• - Top Level Domain name as seen in the domain name
• - Back slash / to indicate the path to reach the resource document

• - Name of the file, document, etc.

These are the main structure and parts of a Domain name system or (DSN).

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