A TLD, or top-level domain, is the last part of a website's URL, such as .com, .org, or .ca. Even if the term "TLD" is unfamiliar to you, you're probably familiar with top-level domains. Some of the more familiar ones include .com, .org, .gov, and .co.uk, as well as some more unique ones, such as .lol, .wtf, and .christmas.

In 1985, there were only nine of these suffixes in website names, but by March 2021, that number had grown to 1,589. So what are TLDs actually for, and what do they do?

What is a TLD?

A top-level domain (TLD) is the part of a URL that follows the first dot of a domain name. The most popular TLD is .com, but there are many others.

TLDs serve a variety of purposes, one of which is to make web addresses easier to remember. TLDs can also indicate specific associations with governments, academic institutions, and countries around the world.

For example, .com is a versatile TLD that is suitable for many commercial websites. A more unique TLD, such as .xyz, can be useful for adding creativity and interest to the URL. A German company might use .de, while a Canadian company might use .ca. The best use of a particular TLD is to reinforce the context of the entity, informing visitors about its location or revealing the nature of the content in the URL.

How TLDs Work

When discussing TLDs, we cannot help but mention the organizations that make them work, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is a non-profit organization in the United States that coordinates and maintains important databases related to the Internet's namespace and number space. This organization is responsible for the management of TLDs, approving and restricting new TLDs.

ICANN, which aims to ensure a “stable, secure, and integrated global Internet,” is governed by a 16-member board of directors. Eight of them are elected by the Nominating Committee, six represent support organizations that advise on all matters related to domain names and IP addresses, one is elected by the general public, and one is a president appointed by the board.

While ICANN manages the human and qualitative aspects of TLDs, the technical aspects are handled by the Domain Name System (DNS). DNS can be thought of as the phone book of the Internet. It translates URLs like “google.com” or “unicef.org” into IP addresses that computers can use to find specific information. Even with the same URL text, using different TLDs can result in completely different IP addresses and sites. For example, google.com and google.org have the same name, but using different TLDs result in completely different sites. DNS bridges the gap between human information and the 1s and 0s that computers need to render a site.

ICANN manages the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority ( IANA ). IANA is the Internet standards organization that oversees the allocation of IP addresses worldwide and the management of the root zone of the domain name system. IANA works with root nameserver operators and ICANN policymakers.

Main Types of TLDs

Top-level domains (TLDs) exist at the intersection of Internet identity and technology, and the choice of TLDs by site administrators is very deliberate. TLDs can be generic, geographic, or sponsored top-level domains.

Infrastructure Top Level Domain (Infrastructure TLD)

This category consists of only one domain, .arpa ("Address and Routing Parameters Area"). This domain is reserved solely for Internet infrastructure use and is managed by IANA.

Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD)

This category mainly consists of four main domains: .com, .net, .info, .org. Generic TLDs make up the majority of registered domain names because they are non-professional and can be used by almost anyone.

Generic Restricted Top-Level Domain (grTLD)

These domains are managed by official ICANN-accredited registrars and require specific credentials to register. Examples include .name and .pro.

Sponsored Top-Level Domain (sTLD)

These are domains proposed and sponsored by private organizations representing a particular community, such as .mil, .gov, or .aero, which is sponsored by members of the airline industry.

Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD)

A ccTLD is a two-letter domain that designates a country or region. For example, Japan is .jp.

Internationalized Country Code Top-Level Domain (IDN ccTLD)

TLDs in this category designate Internet-connected countries that use languages ​​other than the Latin character set, for example, Japan is .jp, and Israel is .il.

Test Top-Level Domain (tTLD)

This means a single TLD, .test. Predictably, it is used for software testing. It has been around since June 1999, but is not tied to the global domain name system.

Ultimately, a TLD is just the last part of a domain name, but it is a vital part of the infrastructure that makes the Internet more useful and accessible.

TLD FAQ

What does TLD mean?

TLD stands for Top-Level Domain and is the last part of the domain name in a URL. For example, in the domain name Shopify.com, the TLD is .com.

What are some examples of TLDs?

The most common TLD is .com, but other popular TLDs include .org, .net, .edu, and .gov. There are also country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) such as .ca, .uk, .au, and .nz, as well as many industry-specific TLDs such as .store, .biz, and .shop.