What is a domain?
The readable name of a website, so you do not have to remember IP addresses.
Every server on the internet has an IP address, for example 203.0.113.10 (IPv4) or 2001:db8::10 (IPv6). Hardly anyone can remember such numbers, and they change when a server moves.
A domain is an easy-to-read name such as example.de. It points to the IP address of the server, so you only have to type the name.
How the name becomes an address
- You type
example.deinto the browser. - Your computer asks DNS (Domain Name System). DNS works like a phone book of the internet and returns the IP address for the name.
- The browser connects to this IP address, and the server delivers the website.
This happens in the background in fractions of a second. You only notice that the website appears.
Why the name is practical
- Moving without changes for visitors: If the website moves to another server, you only change the DNS record. The name stays the same.
- Several services under one name: Website, email and subpages such as
shop.example.decan be set up separately. - Trust: An HTTPS certificate belongs to a name. The browser checks that the connection really belongs to this name, see SSL certificate.
Structure of a name
www or shop | Subdomain, a part in front of the main name |
|---|---|
example | The actual name you choose |
.de | Extension (top-level domain), determines the country or purpose |
Renting a domain
You do not buy a domain permanently; you rent it yearly from a registrar. A central body manages the extension, for example DENIC for .de. The link to the IP address is maintained in the DNS.
At PawHost, WHOIS privacy and DNS hosting are included free of charge.