Top-level domain facts for kids

A top-level domain, or TLD, is the last part of a website address. It's the letters you see after the final dot in a domain name, like ".com" in "example.com" or ".org" in "wikipedia.org". TLDs help organize the internet and tell you a little bit about the website you're visiting.

What Are Top-Level Domains?

Every website on the internet has a unique address, just like your home has a unique street address. This address is called a domain name. The very last part of this address, after the final dot, is the top-level domain. Think of it as a way to categorize websites. For example, a ".com" website is usually for commercial businesses, while a ".org" website is often for organizations.

There are different kinds of TLDs, and each one has a special purpose.

Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs)

These TLDs are used for specific countries or territories. They usually have two letters, following a special code from the ISO 3166 standard. For example:

• .us for the United States
• .uk for the United Kingdom
• .ca for Canada
• .jp for Japan

These TLDs help people know which country a website is connected to.

Generic TLDs (gTLDs)

Generic TLDs are some of the most common ones you see every day. They are not tied to a specific country. Some examples include:

• .com: This is short for "commercial" and is often used by businesses and companies.
• .net: This stands for "network" and was originally for network-related organizations, but now many different types of websites use it.
• .org: This means "organization" and is typically used by non-profit groups, charities, and other organizations.
• .info: This is for "information" websites.

Generic Restricted TLDs

These TLDs are also generic, but they have rules about who can use them. You can't just register one of these; you need to meet certain requirements.

• .edu: This is for educational institutions, like universities and colleges.
• .gov: This is used by government agencies.
• .mil: This is reserved for the United States military.

Sponsored TLDs (sTLDs)

Sponsored TLDs are supported and controlled by specific organizations or groups. These groups set the rules for who can use their TLD. They often represent a particular community or interest. For example, there are TLDs for specific professions or cultural groups.

Infrastructure TLD (.arpa)

There is one very special TLD called .arpa. This TLD is used for technical internet infrastructure purposes. It's not something regular people or organizations use for their websites. It helps the internet work smoothly behind the scenes.

Related pages

• Country code top-level domain (includes a list)

Images for kids

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  A friendly robot to help you learn about the internet!