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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A domain name is a human-readable name, such as icann.org, that the Domain Name System (DNS) uses to help locate internet resources. DNS looks up information associated with the name; for web access, that information often includes an IP address. A domain name is not itself an IP address, website, or URL.
What a domain name does
Numeric IP addresses identify internet-connected resources, but they can be difficult for people to remember. A domain name gives people a readable name to use instead. When a browser or another application needs to reach a resource, it can ask DNS for information associated with that name. The response helps the application locate the resource, often by providing an IP address for web access. ICANN explains DNS as the system that uses names in place of IP addresses; the IETF’s RFC 8499, DNS Terminology, provides technical definitions.
How domain names are structured
A domain name consists of labels separated by dots. In whois.icann.org, for example, org is the top-level domain, icann is the second-level name, and whois is a label below it. The hierarchy runs from right to left: labels farther to the left sit beneath the labels to their right. ICANN’s overview of domain names describes this structure.
Domain name, IP address, URL, and website: the difference
- Domain name: A readable name used in DNS to look up information about an internet resource, such as
icann.org. - IP address: A numeric address associated with a network resource. DNS can provide IP address information in response to a lookup, but the domain name and IP address are not the same thing.
- URL: A complete address that identifies a particular resource or location, often including a domain name and additional details. A domain name alone is not necessarily a complete URL.
- Website: Content and services made available online. A domain name can be used for a website, but it is not the website itself.
Does registering a domain name create a website?
No. Registering a domain creates a named realm in DNS; it does not automatically supply website hosting or build a site. To make a website accessible at the domain, its owner must separately arrange hosting or another service that provides the site. Email also requires an email service, even though a domain can be configured for email. ICANN distinguishes domain registration from the services needed to create an internet presence.
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