List of Internet top-level domains facts for kids
A top-level domain (often called a TLD) is the last part of an internet address, like the ".com" in "example.com". Think of it like the very top level of how internet addresses are organized. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) keeps a list of all these TLDs in something called the Root Zone Database. They also help decide when new TLDs can be added. As of 2021, there were over 1500 different TLDs!
What are the Types of TLDs?
IANA groups top-level domains into different types:
- Infrastructure TLDs (like .arpa) are used for special internet functions.
- generic top-level domains (gTLDs) are the most common ones, like .com or .org.
- Generic-restricted TLDs (grTLDs) are similar to gTLDs but have some rules about who can use them.
- sponsored top-level domains (sTLDs) are managed by specific organizations that set their own rules.
- country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) are for specific countries, like .us for the United States or .uk for the United Kingdom.
- Test TLDs (tTLDs) are used for testing purposes.
The First TLDs
Seven main generic top-level domains were created when the internet was still quite new, before ICANN was formed in 1998. These are some of the most well-known TLDs today.
| Name | What it was for | Who manages it | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com | For commercial businesses | Verisign | This is a very open TLD, meaning anyone can register a .com address. Even though it was meant for businesses, it became super popular and is now used by all sorts of groups, including charities, schools, and even individuals. |
| .org | For organizations | Public Interest Registry | This TLD is also open to anyone. It was first made for organizations that didn't fit into other categories. While many non-profits use it, it's not strictly limited to them. |
| .net | For networks | Verisign | Anyone can register a .net address. It was originally meant for internet service providers and other network companies. |
| .int | For international organizations | Internet Assigned Numbers Authority | This TLD is very strict. It's only for organizations that are set up by agreements between two or more countries. |
| .edu | For education | Educause (via Verisign) | The .edu TLD is mostly for colleges and universities, especially in the U.S. It's limited to schools that are officially recognized. |
| .gov | For U.S. government agencies | Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (via Verisign) | This TLD is only for government groups and agencies in the United States. |
| .mil | For U.S. military | United States Department of Defense | This TLD is only for parts of the United States Department of Defense. |
Infrastructure TLDs
These TLDs are used for special technical parts of the internet.
| Name | What it means | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .arpa | "Address and Routing Parameter Area" | This TLD was first given to a very early internet research agency. Now, it's only used for important internet functions. |
Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs)
Every country usually has its own two-letter TLD. For example, .us is for the United States, .uk is for the United Kingdom, and .ca is for Canada. As of June 2022, there were 316 country code TLDs, including some that use different alphabets.
New Internationalized ccTLDs
Some countries have proposed TLDs that use their own languages and scripts, like for Japan and Libya. This means the domain name itself would be in a non-Latin alphabet.
Newer Generic TLDs (ICANN-era)
After 1998, many new generic TLDs have been created. These often describe what the website is about, making it easier to guess what kind of content you'll find there.
Here are a few examples of these newer TLDs:
| Name | What it's for | Rules | Who manages it |
|---|---|---|---|
| .academy | Schools, online learning, or any site that teaches about a topic. | None | Identity Digital |
| .aero | The air-transport industry. | You must prove you are part of the air travel industry to register. | SITA |
| .app | Apps. | None | |
| .art | Artists, museums, art galleries, and art-related services. | None | UK Creative Ideas |
| .bank | Banks. | Only banks and savings associations can register. | fTLD Registry Services, LLC |
| .blog | Blogs. | None | Automattic |
| .club | Groups, organizations, communities, or general use. | None | .CLUB DOMAINS |
| .cloud | Companies involved in cloud computing. | None | Aruba S.p.A. |
| .design | Graphic art and fashion. | None | Top Level Design |
| .dev | Software development. | None | |
| .eco | Companies, non-profits, and professionals focused on Sustainability. | Open to anyone who promises to act sustainably. | Big Room Inc. |
| .education | Colleges, universities, schools, and educational groups. | None | Identity Digital |
| .fun | For fun or entertaining content. | None | Radix Registry |
| .game | Gaming. | None | Uniregistry, Corp. |
| .gay | Individuals in the LGBT community and supportive organizations. | None | Top Level Design |
| .global | For companies or individuals with a worldwide focus. | None | Dot GLOBAL |
| For Google and its related websites. | Only for Google. | Alphabet Inc. | |
| .help | Help sites. | None | Uniregistry |
| .info | For information. | None | Identity Digital |
| .jobs | For websites with job opportunities and listings. | Must be for job-related content. | Employ Media |
| .life | For wellness, health, lifestyle blogs, or personal stories. | None | Identity Digital |
| .link | For connecting to information. | None | Uniregistry |
| .live | Live streaming sites, entertainment, or news. | None | Identity Digital |
| .lol | For humorous or comedic content (LOL means "laughing out loud"). | None | Uniregistry |
| .movie | Streaming movie services, movie studios, or movie review sites. | None | Identity Digital |
| .museum | For museums. | Must be a verified, legitimate museum. | Museum Domain Management Association |
| .name | For individuals, by name. | Meant for individuals or fictional characters, but open to others. | Verisign |
| .network | For IT professionals, tech consultants, or social networks. | None | Identity Digital |
| .news | News organizations, educational publications, or local news blogs. | None | Identity Digital |
| .online | General use. | None | Radix Registry |
| .party | Nightclubs and social gatherings. | None | Global Registry Services Ltd |
| .photo | Photography and photo-sharing. | None | Uniregistry |
| .pizza | Pizzerias and Italian restaurants. | None | Identity Digital |
| .post | For postal services. | Limited to official postal groups and their large customers. | Universal Postal Union |
| .pro | For professions and professionals. | None | Identity Digital |
| .property | Real estate. | None | Uniregistry |
| .radio | Radio stations and amateur radio operators. | None | European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |
| .realtor | For realtors. | Restricted to members of specific realtor associations. | Real Estate Domains |
| .reviews | For product and service reviews. | None | Identity Digital |
| .sale | Online and physical stores, discount sites, and auction sites. | None | Identity Digital |
| .school | Public schools, private schools, and online learning sites. | None | Identity Digital |
| .science | Science-related sites. | None | Global Registry Services Ltd |
| .shop | For stores. | None | GMO Registry, Inc. |
| .site | General use. | None | Radix Registry |
| .social | For social networking, blogs, and community groups. | None | Identity Digital |
| .store | For stores. | None | Radix Registry |
| .sucks | For gripe sites (sites for complaints). | None | Vox Populi |
| .support | For IT support, social services, or customer service. | None | Identity Digital |
| .tech | For technology. | None | Radix Registry |
| .travel | For airlines, travel agencies, and travel bloggers. | Must be a real travel-related business. | Travel Registry |
| .video | Video production, videographers, and streaming video sites. | None | Identity Digital |
| .wiki | For wikis (websites where many people can easily edit content). | Open to anyone interested in creating community resources. | Top Level Design |
| .xyz | General use. | None | XYZ.com |
Internationalized Generic TLDs
Some TLDs use different writing systems, not just the Latin alphabet. These are called internationalized domain names (IDN). This means you can have a website address entirely in, for example, Arabic or Chinese characters.
- For example, there's a TLD called .موقع (which is `mawqiʿ` in Arabic, meaning "site" or "location").
- Another example is .在线 (which is `zàixiàn` in Chinese, meaning "online").
- There's also .дети (which is `dyeti` in Russian, meaning "kids" or "children").
Geographic TLDs
Just like countries have their own TLDs, some cities or regions also have them! This helps websites show they are connected to a specific place.
Here are a few examples:
- .africa for the continent of Africa.
- .capetown for Cape Town, South Africa.
- .asia for the Asia-Pacific region.
- .tokyo for Tokyo, Japan.
- .berlin for Berlin, Germany.
- .london for London, United Kingdom.
- .nyc for New York City, New York.
- .kiwi for New Zealanders.
Brand and Corporate TLDs
Did you know that some big companies have their very own TLDs? These are usually just for their own websites and services. For example, Google has `.google`, Apple has `.apple`, and Amazon has `.amazon`. This helps them create unique and recognizable online spaces for their brands.
Special-Use Domains
Some domain names are set aside for special technical reasons and are not meant for regular websites. They help the internet work properly.
| Name | What it's for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .example | Used in text as an example. | You'll often see "example.com" in instructions because it's a reserved name that won't lead to a real website. |
| .invalid | Used for testing domain names that shouldn't work. | This helps software developers test how their programs handle bad or incorrect domain names. |
| .local | For local networks. | This is used for devices on your home or school network, not for websites on the public internet. |
| .localhost | Points back to your own computer. | When you type "localhost" in your browser, it tells your computer to look for a website on itself. |
| .onion | For connecting to the Tor network. | These are special addresses used for privacy-focused websites on the Tor network, which is different from the regular internet. |
| .test | Meant for testing DNS software. | Like .invalid, this helps people test internet naming systems without affecting real websites. |
Other Types of Domains
Besides the official TLDs, some groups have tried to create their own special domains using different technologies.
Blockchain Domains
Some domains are registered using blockchain technology, like the one used for cryptocurrencies. These domains are often used to make cryptocurrency wallet addresses easier to read or for special apps. They don't usually work with regular internet browsers unless you use a special tool.
- For example, .eth domains are used for Ethereum wallet addresses.
- .crypto and .zil are other examples used for cryptocurrency wallets.
- .bit was an early blockchain domain, but it became less popular due to problems with illegal content.
Alternate Roots
Imagine if there were other "main lists" of internet addresses besides the one IANA manages. That's what "alternate roots" are. These groups create their own systems for managing TLDs. While they exist, they are separate from the main internet, so you usually need special settings to access websites on these alternate roots.
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