Are you in any confusion in understanding what is a domain name and how does it work? These types of questions are often asked by beginners. So. it’s really confusing for them to build the website.
Beginners find it difficult knowing the difference between a domain name and hosting service. With so many different parts, it sounds too technical if you are a beginner.
So, in this article, we’ll be discussing what is a domain name and how does it work that will help you to choose the right domain name for your website. Let’s get started.
What is a domain name?
In simple words, the domain name is an address of your site. If your site is home then the domain name is your address. People type in their browser URL to visit your website.
For example, the domain name for this site is https://wpallclub.com
For the detailed explanation of domain name,
The internet is a huge network of computers that are connected with each other through a network of cables. To communicate with each other, every computer is assigned a unique IP address to identify them. It is a series of numbers that identify each particular computer on the internet.
How does domain name work?
The domain name is very important as it enables computers to find the server where your website is hosted. After that, your website can be retrieved from that server where the users are allowed to access your website on their browsers.
To understand this process, first you need to know what is an IP address, and how the domain name system enables computers to translate domain names into IP addresses. So, let’s go through the details:
What is an IP address?
Each and every computer and server has its own IP address. Suppose, you will address a letter to send in the mail, just like that computers use the unique identifier to send data to specific computers on a network. An IP address is a string of numbers that are separated by full stops. Computers use this IP address to connect and communicate with each other as well as find and retrieve the web data.
A typical IP address looks like this: 192.168.1.1
But, it’s difficult to remember the IP address with numbers. Just imagine if you had to use these numbers to visit your preferred websites.
Because of this, the domain name was invented to solve the problem.
When someone wants to visit your website then they will simply type the domain name in their browsers.
After that, the domain name system transfers the domain name into the IP address which is the address of the server that hosts your website. This way the server can be quickly contacted and the website is served to the users.
Now, let‘s go through how the domain name system works:
What is DNS?
The DNS is managed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). It is a non-profit organization which is responsible for the on-going maintenance and management of the DNS, regulating domain registrars, and creating policies.
The DNS is a large network of servers across the globe. These servers include a distributed database of IP addresses that act as an address book, transferring domain names into IP addresses. This way the servers can then be located, and websites are served to browsers.
How do the DNS works?
First you need to type the domain name of the website that you want to visit into your browser.
Then, the computer will check its cache to see whether it has previously requested that domain. If not, then it will contact the local DNS server and again if there are no records of this domain name in the ISP cache, then the computer will need to locate the name servers associated with that domain.
For that, the local DNS server will break the domain name into three sections. For example, www.wpallclub.com would be broken down into .com, wpallclub, and www. The .com section is a top-level domain (TLD) that will be investigated first then the local DNS server will connect to a root name server to find out which server holds the domain information for this Top-Level Domain. After that, it will contact this next server to find out which name server holds details on the second part of the domain name.
The name servers are managed by hosting provider where your website is hosted. They include the DNS records of given domains and map domain names to IP addresses. Once the computer has located the name servers for your website, your hosting company will forward the request to the computer where your website is hosted. Then, the web page is sent to the browser that previously made the request.
Different Parts of domain name
Domain names are different types of extensions. The most popular one is .com. There are other options like net, info, org and much more. But most of the time we recommend using a .com domain extension.
There are three different parts of the domain name. They are:
- Subdomain
The first part of the domain name is www that comes before the dot. i.e. www.wpallclub.com.
This part for every domain name is called the subdomain. It’s not that important. Even if you do not enter www before a domain name in a browser you can easily open the site because your domain name can be wpallclub.com.
- Second Level Domain
The second part of the domain name is wpallclub that lies between the dots i.e. www.wpallclub.com
This is the part that you are familiar with. This is your domain name which you register for and it is the customizable part.
- Top Level Domain
It is the part at the very end of the domain name i.e. .com after the dot. It is also known as the domain extension.
The domain extension can be .com, .org, .net, .info, etc. But most of the time .com is used and is more popular.
What is the Difference Between a Domain Name and Website Hosting?
After you register a domain name it doesn’t mean that you will get a website. The domain name is just the address of your website whereas your website hosting is the home. If you don’t have a home then it leads to nowhere. So, you need to have a domain name and website hosting in order to run your website in functional way.
The website files are stored on the computer which is the home of the website. These servers are offered by website hosting companies as a service. You’ll get access to these servers when you buy the website hosting to store your website. And after you have built a website on a web host and registered a domain name, your site will be seen by people on the web.
Why do we need a domain name?
A domain name is very important if you want to create a website. The domain name helps the people to visit the site from your computers.
Nowadays, people are engaged in different types of business so they create websites for a number of reasons. That’s why there are millions of domain names that are registered. Not only that they also want to have their own personal websites. Because of this, they choose the familiar name as a domain name for the promotional reason.
Website is necessary for our day to day life. As it helps your customers to get in touch with you online where they can browse your products and services from their computers. For that, you will need a domain name that matches your business name so that people can easily find you online. Apart from this, you can register the domain name to protect your name from being taken by your competitors.
How much does a domain name cost?
Some domain names will cost millions whereas some come for free. However, a regular domain name will cost you around $10-15 a year.
There are a number of hosting companies that provide domain names for free if you sign up for one of their hosting packages. Usually, the free version lasts for the first year, or the initial term of the hosting package. And once the term has elapsed, you will then need to purchase the domain name.
Here are some hosting providers that provide a domain name for free with the packages.
Bluehost – This is one of the most popular hosting providers that offer a free domain name for the first year if you sign up for an initial term of 36 months. It includes free SSL certificate, 1 click WordPress install and 24/7 support.
Hostinger – Hostinger offers a free domain for anyone who signs up for one of their premium or business hosting plans.
DreamHost – If you sign up for one of their annual hosting packages then, you will get a free domain name for one year.
GoDaddy – GoDaddy is a hosting provider that offers a free domain name with all their plans. You just need to sign up on a 12, 24, or 36-month contract then the domain name will remain free for the entire length of the package that you have selected.
Regular Domain Pricing
If your hosting provider doesn’t offer free domain name then you need to purchase the domain name. As you know that the average cost of a domain name is between $10-15 a year. But, the price of domain names varies with certain factors like:
Popularity – If you have chosen the popular domain name If you have chosen a popular domain name phrase then it may well have already been purchased with the intention of being resold at an inflated price. You will need to decide if this domain name is worth the money.
Domain Extension – The domain extensions like .com, .net, .org, etc will cost you more than some of the newer TLDs like .me, .be, .club.
Domain Registrar – The prices of domain names differ depending on the domain registrar. If you purchase your domain name directly from your website builder or hosting provider you will pay more than if you buy from a third party registrar.
Length of Term – Some domain registrars will charge you less if you register a domain for a longer period.
How to Buy a Domain Name?
There are many domain name registrars so choose anyone from that. Normally a domain name costs around $10-15 per year. Some of the popular domain name companies where you can buy domain name are:
You will not get hosting service even though you have purchased a domain. For that, you will need a website hosting account.
There are many WordPress hosting companies who offer domain registration services. This will allow you to manage both services under one account where you don’t have to worry about changing name server settings for your domain.
How to choose a domain name for your website?
It’s very important to choose the right domain name for your website. You need to think about it and come up with a name that is really unique, memorable and the one works perfectly fits for your website.
Here are some tips for you while choosing a domain name
Keep it Short – The domain name should be short because the long name can be difficult for people to remember.
Stick with .com – The domain extension .com is the popular and trusted one so just stick with it.
Use Keywords – Keywords plays a vital role in search engines. So, choose the keywords carefully for your website which will be easier for users to find you online. For example, if your website is related to photography then it will be better if you put the word photography in the domain name.
Avoid Numbers and Hyphens – The numbers can lead to misspellings of your domain name so, it’s better to avoid the numbers and hyphens in the domain name.
Wrapping Up
We hope this article helped you to learn more about what is a domain name and how does it work. It is actually quick and easy process to set up your new domain name. But the difficult part is to decide on the actual name of the domain.
So, first, you need to type some keywords into a domain generator, share your ideas with others and make a decision on your new domain name. And once you’ve registered your domain name you are ready to create your website.If you have any queries or suggestion then feel free to comment us below.
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