A
Accredited Registrar: A domain registrar that is officially accredited by a domain's registry or a governing body (like ICANN) to register domain names under specific TLDs.
Active Domain: A domain that's currently registered and has a valid registration period remaining. It's opposite to an "expired domain."
Address Bar: The text field in a web browser where users type in a domain name or URL to visit a website. The correct recognition and resolution of a domain name are crucial for navigation.
Address Resolution: The process of converting a domain name into its respective IP address, using the Domain Name System (DNS).
Administrative Contact: The person or entity listed in the domain registration records as being responsible for administrative tasks related to the domain, such as renewal or updates to the domain details.
Affiliate Domain: A domain specifically registered or used to run an affiliate marketing site or landing page. Often these domains are keyword-rich or brand-aligned to attract targeted traffic.
Aftermarket Domain: Refers to domains that are up for resale. They might be domains someone purchased but no longer wants or domains that have expired and are being sold again.
Aged Domain: A domain that has been registered and owned for several years. Some believe that older domains may have SEO advantages over brand-new ones.
Aggregator (Domain Aggregator): Entities or platforms that collect and showcase domain names available for sale from various sources, providing a one-stop-shop for potential domain buyers.
Allocation (Domain Allocation): The process by which a subset of domain names or IP addresses are designated for a particular purpose or to a specific organization.
Alternative TLD (Top-Level Domain): TLDs that are not part of the mainstream gTLDs (.com, .org, .net). They can include ccTLDs (country-code top-level domains) and newer gTLDs introduced in recent ICANN expansions.
Anonymous Domain Registration: A form of domain registration where the identity of the domain owner is hidden or anonymized in the WHOIS database. This can be achieved using services like WHOIS privacy protection.
Apex Domain: Also known as a base, bare, naked, or root domain. It's the primary domain without any subdomains. For example, "example.com" is an apex domain, while "blog.example.com" is not.
Appraised Value: An estimate of the value of a domain name based on various factors like keyword relevance, domain age, traffic, and potential branding significance. Many domain marketplaces offer appraisal services.
Auth-Code: Also known as EPP code or transfer code. It's a password provided by the current registrar of a domain name to verify domain transfers.
Arbitration: A method of resolving disputes between domain registrants and third parties, often related to trademark infringement or domain squatting. ICANN's UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) is an example of a domain dispute arbitration process.
Assignment (Domain Assignment): The act of transferring all rights and obligations of a domain name from one party to another. It’s more than just a change of registrar or administrative contact; it's a transfer of ownership.
At-Large Community: A community of individual Internet users who participate in the policy development work of ICANN. They play a role in how global domain policies are shaped.
Auction (Domain Auction): A marketplace where domain names are bought and sold through bidding. Some popular domain names can fetch high prices in such auctions.
Authoritative Source: The definitive directory or registry for a set of data. In the context of domains, the authoritative source would be the domain's registry that holds the definitive record for that domain.
Authenticated Whois: A WHOIS protocol extension that ensures data accuracy by providing means to authenticate data submission and access.
Authoritative Name Server: A DNS server that has the original source files of a domain's zone files. It provides answers in response to queries against a specific domain.
Automated Domain Renewal: A service provided by domain registrars that automatically renews the domain registration before its expiry date, ensuring the domain doesn't accidentally lapse.
Autonomous System (AS): A collection of IP routing prefixes under the control of a single organization. While more related to networking, it becomes relevant in the context of domain routing and DNS resolution.
Auto-Renew: A feature offered by domain registrars where domain registration is automatically renewed at the end of its registration term, preventing accidental domain expiration.
Availability Check: The process of checking whether a particular domain name is available for registration or if it's already been registered by someone else.
AWIP (Always-on WHOIS Privacy): A feature offered by some registrars where the registrant's details are always kept private in WHOIS databases, barring legal requirements to display them.
B
Backlink: An incoming hyperlink from one webpage to another. While not exclusively a domain term, domains with many high-quality backlinks can be more valuable because of the potential SEO benefits.
Backorder: A service provided by some domain registrars that allows users to "order" a domain that is currently registered but might become available soon. If the current owner doesn't renew the domain, the backordering service will attempt to register it on behalf of the user who placed the backorder.
Bandwidth: The volume of data transferable from a server over a given period, usually measured monthly. Websites with a lot of traffic or heavy multimedia elements (videos, images, etc.) tend to consume more bandwidth.
Bidder: An individual or entity that places a bid for a domain on an auction platform.
Blacklist: A list of IP addresses or domains that have been flagged for suspicious or harmful activity, like spamming or phishing. Being on a blacklist can affect email deliverability or site accessibility.
Blind Transfer: Transferring a domain without notifying the current registrar. It's a less common procedure and can be subject to specific regulations and guidelines.
Bot: Short for "robot", a bot is a software application that automates tasks on the internet. Bots can index websites for search engines, scrape data, automate social media, or even perform malicious tasks like DDoS attacks.
Brandable Domain: Domains that don’t necessarily have a dictionary meaning but are catchy and memorable. They are often used by startups and tech companies (e.g., "Zillow" or "Spotify").
Branded Email Address: An email address that uses a custom domain name (e.g., [email protected]) instead of generic ones (e.g., [email protected]).
Brand Monitoring: Services or practices that track and monitor domain registrations containing certain keywords (often a brand or trademark name) to protect against cybersquatting or brand infringement.
Broker (Domain Broker): An individual or firm that acts as an intermediary between domain buyers and sellers, often helping negotiate prices and facilitate the transaction.
Brute Force Attack: A method used by hackers to gain access to a website by systematically checking all possible passwords until the correct one is found. Strong, unique passwords and security plugins can help protect against these types of attacks.
Bulk Domain Registration: A service offered by domain registrars that allows users to register multiple domain names simultaneously. This is often used by businesses looking to secure various domain extensions or slight variations of their primary domain name.
Business Continuity (in the context of Domains): Refers to strategies and preparations made to ensure that domain-related operations (like DNS resolution) continue to operate in the event of serious incidents or disasters.
Business Domain: A domain name specifically registered or used for business purposes, distinct from personal or hobby domains.
Buyer Premium: An additional fee that a buyer may need to pay on top of the winning bid price in some domain auctions.
By-pass Registrar Lock: A security feature that prevents unauthorized domain transfers. It must be removed before a domain can be transferred to another registrar.
Byte: A unit of digital information. It is the most common unit of data used in computing and data storage. In terms of domains and hosting, it often relates to the size of files and the bandwidth used by websites.
C
Canonical Name (CNAME):A type of DNS record that maps one domain name (an alias) to another (the canonical name). It's used to ensure multiple domain names can be mapped to a single IP address, useful for pointing subdomains to primary domains.
Cache:A stored collection of data that serves requests without needing to obtain fresh data from the original source every time. In terms of websites, caching can significantly speed up page load times by serving stored versions of frequently accessed data.
ccSLD (Country Code Second-Level Domain):It's a second-level domain to a ccTLD, such as co.uk
or com.au
. It provides another layer under the primary country code top-level domain, often used for specific types of websites or organizations within a country.
ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domain):A top-level domain that's specific to a particular country or territory. Examples include .us
for the United States, .uk
for the United Kingdom, and .jp
for Japan.
Certificate Authority (CA):An organization that issues digital certificates. These certificates validate the ownership of a public key in the SSL/TLS communication process, ensuring a secure connection between a user and a website.
CDN (Content Delivery Network):A system of distributed servers that deliver web content to a user based on their geographic location, ensuring faster page load times. While more of a hosting/website term, it's relevant for domain owners who want optimal site performance.
Centralized Zone Data Service (CZDS):A service provided by ICANN where users can request access to the Zone Files provided by Top-Level Domain (TLD) operators.
Chain of Trust:In SSL/TLS, this is a series of certificates which ensure that the server you are talking to can be linked back to a trusted root certificate.
Child Name Server:A name server that is subordinate to a primary name server. It can be used to distribute DNS databases more widely or to allow multiple servers to handle DNS queries for a particular domain.
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing):A method for allocating IP addresses and routing IP packets. It's more network-related but can come up in advanced domain settings.
Click-Through Rate (CTR):In the context of domains, especially for parked domains, CTR refers to the rate at which users click on advertisements displayed on the domain's webpage.
Cloaking:A deceptive technique where the content presented to the search engine spider is different from that shown to users' browsers. This can be in relation to domains when individuals redirect one domain to another but present different content to users.
Cloudflare:A popular company that provides CDN services, DNS services, and DDoS protection, among other offerings. They are commonly integrated with domain setups for performance and security purposes.
Collision (Name Collision):Refers to the situation where a user tries to access a private domain name within their corporate network but ends up at a public website due to the domain being registered publicly.
Common Name (CN):Part of the Distinguished Name in a certificate. For SSL/TLS certificates, the CN is typically the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the server.
Cross-Domain:Refers to actions or elements that span multiple domains. It's often seen in discussions about cookies, tracking, or scripts that work across multiple websites.
Cross-Domain Policy File:A file that grants a web client (such as Flash, Silverlight, or JavaScript) the permissions needed to handle data across multiple domains.
CSR (Certificate Signing Request):A message sent to a certificate authority to apply for an SSL certificate. It contains the public key and other identification information.
Custom Domain:A unique, branded domain name that is not a subdomain. For instance, "mybrand.com" is a custom domain, while "mybrand.blogspot.com" is a subdomain.
Cybersecurity:The practices and technologies designed to protect networks, devices, programs, and data from digital attacks. In the domain context, this is often associated with securing domain names and associated websites.
Cybersquatting:The act of registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name in bad faith, especially with the intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.
D
Dedicated IP:An IP address that is used solely by one domain/website. It is the opposite of a shared IP address where multiple websites share the same IP.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Protection:Security measures taken to protect a domain (or a server) from DDoS attacks, where multiple compromised systems attack a single target system causing it to slow down or crash.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail):An email authentication method designed to detect forged sender addresses in emails (email spoofing), a technique often used in phishing and email spam.
DNAME Record:A DNS record type that provides aliasing of multiple subdomain names to another domain, unlike CNAME which aliases one domain name to another.
DNS Propagation:The time it takes for updates to a domain name's DNS information to be distributed and updated across the entire web. This process can take anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours.
DNS Zone:A portion of the domain namespace which is managed by a particular organization or administrator. It contains the records for resources under a specific domain name.
DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions):A suite of extensions to DNS that adds an additional layer of security by introducing cryptographic signatures to existing DNS records. This ensures the authenticity and integrity of DNS data.
Domain:A human-friendly address used to access websites on the internet. It's associated with an IP address, which represents the actual location of the website on the web.
Domain Age:The length of time since a domain was first registered. It's sometimes considered by search engines as a ranking factor, under the premise that older domains might be more trustworthy.
Domain Authority (DA):A score developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). The score ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater ability to rank.
Domain Abuse:Refers to malicious or harmful activities undertaken using domain names. This can include phishing attacks, malware distribution, and spam.
Domain Expiry (or Expiration):The end date of a domain registration. If the domain owner doesn't renew it, the domain can go through various phases, including a redemption period, and may eventually become available for registration again.
Domain Extension:Another term for a Top-Level Domain (TLD). Examples include .com, .net, .org, etc.
Domain Forwarding:A technique used to redirect visitors from one domain to another. This is useful for redirecting traffic from various domain extensions (like .net, .org) to a primary domain (like .com).
Domain Generation Algorithms (DGA):Algorithmically generated domain names by malware to establish command-and-control servers, making it harder for security professionals to predict and block them.
Domain Locking:A security feature offered by most domain registrars that prevents unauthorized transfers (or hijacking) of domain names.
Domain Name Registrar:A company or organization accredited by both the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and generic top-level domain (gTLD) registries to register domain names. Examples include GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Bluehost.
Domain Name Registration:The process of reserving a name in the DNS for a specific period. Once registered, that domain name is exclusive to the registrant for the duration of the contract, usually a year, after which the domain can be renewed or allowed to lapse.
Domain Name System (DNS):A hierarchical and decentralized system used to translate domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses (like 192.0.2.1), which are numerical labels used to locate resources on a network.
Domain Parking:Reserving a domain name and usually displaying a temporary web page or advertisement until the domain is used for a website or sold. Often used by domain investors
Domain Privacy (or WHOIS Privacy):A service provided by domain registrars that masks the domain registrant's personal information in the public WHOIS database, replacing it with the information of a forwarding service.
Domain Reselling:The business or act of buying domain names and then reselling them later at higher prices.
Domain Sniping:The practice of attempting to register a domain name immediately after it expires, before the original owner has a chance to renew it.
Domain Status:Refers to the various stages a domain can be in during its lifecycle, like 'Active,' 'Expired,' 'Redemption,' etc.
Domain Tasting:The practice of temporarily registering a domain to test its profitability, usually within the five-day grace period during which a domain can be deleted and a refund can be requested from the registrar.
Domain Transfer:The process of moving a domain name from one registrar to another. This might be done for various reasons, such as better customer service or lower prices.
Domain Verification:The process of verifying the ownership or control of a domain, often required by registrars or certain web services.
Domain Whois:A query and response protocol used to query databases that store registered users or assignees of a domain name. The Whois protocol can provide information about who owns a domain, their contact details, and more.
Dot:A common slang term referring to the period character used in domain names, as in "dot com" (.com).
Downtime:The period during which a system or service (like a website) is unavailable or offline. Downtime can occur due to planned maintenance or unforeseen issues.
Drop Catching:A practice used to register a domain name once it becomes available after the previous owner doesn't renew it. Companies offer this service to quickly grab and register expired domains on behalf of their clients.
DS Record (Delegation Signer):Used in DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions). It's a pointer from a parent zone to a child zone and is used to verify DNS responses.
Dynamic DNS (DDNS):A method of updating, in real-time, a Domain Name System (DNS) to point to a changing IP address. This is often used for hosts that have dynamic IP addresses, like those provided by home internet services.
E
Early Access Program (EAP):A phase during the launch of a new top-level domain (TLD) where registrations are available to those willing to pay a premium price to secure a desired domain name before it's available to the general public.
Egress Filtering:A method used to control the flow of information from a local network to a larger network such as the internet. This can be important for domain owners who host their sites and want to control outgoing traffic.
EPP Code (Extensible Provisioning Protocol):A security code required when transferring a domain from one registrar to another. It acts as a password for the domain and is provided by the current registrar.
Embedding:While more general in web terms, embedding relates to domains when discussing how to integrate third-party content, such as videos or widgets, into a domain's website using code.
Email Forwarding:A service that automatically forwards incoming emails from one email address to another. It's especially useful when managing multiple domains or wanting to have a more professional email address associated with a domain while using a different primary email service.
Encryption:The process of converting information or data into a code to prevent unauthorized access. Encryption is vital for online security, especially in protecting data transmitted during online transactions or communications.
End Point Protection:Refers to a system for ensuring the endpoint devices (like users' computers) accessing a domain or its resources are free of malware and threat
Entity Header:In the context of HTTP communication, an entity header provides information about the body of the resource, like its length or type. This can be relevant when troubleshooting domain or website-related issues.
Entry Point:The starting page or URL of a website when someone visits it by entering a domain name in their browser.
ENUM (Telephone Number Mapping):A protocol that maps telephone numbers to DNS domain names, providing a bridge between the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and Internet services
ETLD (Effective Top-Level Domain):Refers to the part of a domain that registrars and public suffix lists consider to be the "effective" top-level domain. For instance, "co.uk" is an eTLD while "uk" is a TLD.
EV SSL (Extended Validation SSL):A type of SSL certificate that offers the highest level of validation and trust. It provides the green bar in the browser with the organization's name, signifying it has passed rigorous identity verification processes.
Expiration Notification:A notice sent by domain registrars to the domain owner alerting them of the impending expiration of their domain name, prompting them to renew.
Expiry Cycle:The entire lifecycle of a domain name from its registration to its expiration and possible deletion. This includes phases like the grace period and redemption period.
Expiry Date:The date on which a domain registration ends. If not renewed, the domain may enter a redemption period and then be released for registration by the general public.
External DNS:DNS services provided by an entity separate from the web hosting provider. Using external DNS can offer more flexibility, advanced features, and sometimes improved performance.
Exact Match Domain (EMD):A domain name that precisely matches a search query, often used to gain an SEO advantage. For example, for the search term "buy blue shoes," the EMD would be "buyblueshoes.com".
Email Forwarding:A service provided by domain registrars and hosting providers where emails sent to an address at your custom domain are automatically forwarded to another email address of your choosing.
Email Hosting:A service that runs email servers. While many domain registrars offer email hosting as part of their domain registration services, there are also specialized providers that focus only on email hosting.
Encryption:The process of converting information into a code to prevent unauthorized access. In terms of domains, encryption is often discussed in the context of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates which encrypt data between the user's browser and the server.
End-User:The final consumer or user of a product or service. In the domain industry, this refers to the person or entity that registers a domain name for their own use, rather than to resell.
Error Page:A web page displayed when an error occurs while accessing a website. The most common is the "404 Not Found" error, which appears when a user tries to access a page that doesn't exist.
Escrow:A financial arrangement where a third party holds and regulates the payment of funds, often used for high-value domain name sales to ensure both parties uphold their side of the deal.
External DNS:Using a DNS provider that's separate from the hosting provider or registrar. This allows for potentially faster DNS resolution and more features.
EUI (End-User Identifier):In the context of domains and network communications, EUI often refers to a globally unique identifier for a network interface or device, helping in identifying them on a network.
F
Failover:A backup operational mode in which the functions of a system component (such as a processor, server, network, or database) switch automatically to a standby system or network upon failure.
Fast Flux:A technique used by cybercriminals to hide phishing and malware delivery sites behind an ever-changing network of compromised hosts acting as proxies. It involves rapidly modifying IP address records in response to domain queries.
First-Level Domain:This refers to the main domain names located right after the TLDs in the domain hierarchy. For example, in "example.com," "example" is the first-level domain.
FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name):The complete domain name for a specific computer or host on the internet. It consists of two parts: the hostname and the domain name. For instance, "www.example.com" is an FQDN where "www" is the hostname and "example.com" is the domain name.
Filter:In the context of domain emails, a filter is a tool that sorts incoming messages based on predefined criteria, such as subject lines, sender, content, an
Firewall:A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security policies. A firewall establishes a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks.
Flushing DNS:The process of clearing out the cache of resolved domain names on a computer. This can be useful when old cache records interfere with the current, accurate ones, potentially causing connectivity issues.
Footer Domain Linking:The practice of placing domain links in the footer of websites. This can be for branding, accreditation, or SEO purposes, though the latter has been scrutinized by search engines in some cases.
Forbidden (HTTP 403):In the context of domain and web hosting, this refers to an HTTP status code indicating that the server understands the request, but it refuses to authorize it. This is often due to insufficient permissions to access a resource.
Frame Redirect:A type of domain redirection that keeps the original domain in the browser's address bar instead of displaying the actual website's domain where the content is being pulled from.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol):A standard protocol used to transfer computer files between a client and server on a computer network. It's often used to upload or download files to/from web servers.
Forward DNS Lookup:The resolution of a domain name to an IP address. The opposite is a reverse DNS lookup, where an IP address is resolved to its assigned domain name.
Forwarding Domain:The act of redirecting visitors from one domain to another. Domain forwarding can be useful for branding purposes, typo correction, or ensuring that visitors get to the intended site, irrespective of which URL variation they use.
Free Domain:A promotional offer by some hosting companies where they offer a domain name registration at no cost when you purchase their hosting services.
Free Subdomain:Many hosting providers or platforms offer free subdomains for users. For instance, websites hosted on platforms like WordPress or Wix might have addresses like "example.wordpress.com" or "example.wixsite.com."
Frontend:The user interface of a website or web application. It's what users interact with directly. It involves everything that users experience directly: text colors and styles, images, graphs, buttons, colors, and navigation menu.
FTP Client:A software that allows users to transfer files between their local system and a server on the internet. Popular FTP clients include FileZilla, WinSCP, and Cyberduck.
Fully Managed Domain Services:Services where all aspects of the domain, including registration, renewal, DNS management, and security, are handled by the service provider, alleviating the domain owner from the technical details.
Fully Parked Domain:A domain that displays a temporary web page when visitors go to that domain. Often, these domains are used to reserve a domain name for future use, development, or sale.
Full WHOIS Check:A detailed lookup that provides comprehensive information about a domain, including its registration details, status, registrar, and more.
G
Generic Domain:A domain name that is not tied to a specific brand or trademark. For instance, "books.com" would be considered a generic domain.
Generic Keywords:These are non-brand specific keywords often used in domain names to target a broad audience. For example, "cars" in "carsforsale.com."
Ghost Domain:A domain that no longer has a live website attached to it but still attracts residual traffic due to old backlinks or residual search engine rankings.
Geo-Domain:A domain name that is geographically specific. These often represent cities or regions, such as "LosAngeles.com" or "NewYorkCity.net".
Geo-Restriction:A technology used to limit access to internet content based upon the user's geographical location. Websites might restrict or alter content based on the domain's origin of the viewer.
Geo-targeting:The method of determining the geolocation (country, region, city, zip code, IP address, or ISP) of a website visitor and delivering different content to that visitor based on their location.
Google Webmaster Tools (now known as Google Search Console):A free service by Google that allows website owners to monitor and manage their website's presence in Google search results.
Googlebot:The search bot software used by Google to index and crawl web pages on the internet. If Googlebot can't crawl a page, it can't appear in Google's search results.
Glue Record:A type of DNS record that associates a hostname with an IP address, allowing for the resolution of domain names outside of the authoritative namespace of the domain.
gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain):A category of top-level domains that includes familiar extensions like .com, .net, and .org. They contrast with ccTLDs, which are country code top-level domains specific to individual countries.
GTLD Application System (TAS):It's a system used by ICANN for organizations to apply for gTLDs, especially when new extensions are being introduced.
Grace Period:After a domain expires, many registrars provide a grace period during which the original domain owner can renew the domain without additional charges beyond the standard renewal fee.
Group Domain Registration:Some services offer group or bulk domain registration, allowing users to register multiple domain names simultaneously, often at a discounted rate.
Growth Domain:Refers to a domain that has shown a steady increase in traffic or search engine ranking over time.
Guarded WHOIS:Many registrars offer a service (sometimes called WHOIS Guard or WHOIS Protection) that hides personal information from the public WHOIS database, displaying alternative details to protect domain registrants' privacy.
Guilds/Associations:Sometimes, domain extensions are specific to guilds or associations, like .bank
for banks or .pharmacy
for certified pharmacies.
Grace Period:A set period after a domain name registration expires where the original owner can renew the domain at the standard renewal price. After this period, the domain may enter a redemption phase or become available to the public.
H
HINFO Record:A type of record in the Domain Name System (DNS) which is used to identify the type of computer or OS a domain is using. It's less common today due to potential security implications.
Hijacking (Domain Hijacking):The act of changing the registration of a domain name without the permission of the original domain registrant. It's a form of theft that results in the loss of control of a domain name.
Historical Domain Data:Archived information related to a domain name's ownership, registration, expiration dates, and other pertinent details. This data can be used for various purposes, including research, legal matters, or purchasing decisions.
Hold Status:A status that can be applied to a domain name, indicating that the domain cannot be modified or deleted, often used during legal disputes or investigations. A domain on hold also typically cannot be used for any functional website or email.
Hostname:The specific name by which a device is identified on a network. For websites, the hostname usually refers to the domain name like 'www.example.com' where 'www' often acts as the hostname.
Host Record:A record in the Domain Name System (DNS) that maps a domain name to an IP address. This is an essential component for directing web traffic to the correct server.
Hybrid Domain:A domain name that combines two different ideas or concepts, often mixing keywords with brandable elements.
Hyphenated Domain Name:A domain name that contains hyphens. For example, "my-domain.com". There are debates about the SEO implications and memorability of hyphenated domain names.
I
IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority):An organization under ICANN that oversees global IP address allocation, DNS root zone management, and other internet protocol assignments.
ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers):A non-profit organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several databases related to the namespaces and numerical spaces of the internet, ensuring the network's stable and secure operation.
IDN (Internationalized Domain Name):Domain names that contain characters used in the official language of specific countries, other than the customary ASCII characters.
Infinite Loop:In the domain context, this refers to a DNS configuration mistake where domain entries point to each other in a loop, causing endless redirects.
Infrastructure Domain:Refers to domains that are essential for the function of the internet itself. For example, TLDs like .arpa
are infrastructure domains.
IP Address (Internet Protocol Address):A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network. It serves two primary functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.
IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4):The fourth version of the Internet Protocol (IP). It's the most widely used IP version and uses a 32-bit address scheme allowing for a total of 2^32 addresses.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6):The most recent version of the Internet Protocol. It was developed to replace IPv4 and provides a much larger number of addresses, using a 128-bit address system.
Inode:A data structure on a filesystem used to keep track of a file or directory. On many web hosting platforms, there are inode limits which determine how many files and folders you can have on your account.
Indexed Page:Refers to a webpage that has been crawled and added to a search engine's directory. Being indexed is the first step to appearing in search engine results.
Internal Domain:A domain that is used inside a private network and isn’t exposed to the public internet. These are common in corporate settin
InterNIC (Internet Network Information Center):A former U.S. government project created in the early days of the internet to oversee DNS registration. Although it no longer exists, the term is sometimes used colloquially to refer to domain registration services.
Invalid Domain:Refers to a domain name that doesn't conform to the naming conventions set by domain registrars or contains characters that are not allowed.
Inverse DNS Lookup:Also known as a reverse DNS lookup. This is the querying of the DNS to determine the domain name associated with an IP address.
J
Jump Page:A web page that users see briefly before they are redirected to another location. Jump pages are often used in advertising or affiliate marketing to track user interactions or to provide brief messaging before moving the user onward.
K
Keyword Domain:A domain name that primarily consists of a keyword or a set of keywords. These types of domains can be beneficial for search engine optimization (SEO) because they may rank higher for specific search queries that match the domain.
Kiting (Domain Kiting):The practice of registering a domain and then repeatedly deleting and re-registering it during the five-day grace period to avoid paying registration fees. This practice has been curbed through ICANN regulations and policies.
KSK (Key Signing Key):In the context of DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions), the KSK is a cryptographic key that signs another key called the Zone Signing Key (ZSK). It plays an essential role in ensuring the security and authenticity of DNS data.
Knowledge Base:A centralized repository for information: a public library, a database of related information about a particular subject, or the like.
L
Link:A connection between two web resources, typically represented by a highlighted word or image within a web page that can be clicked to view the associated content.
Landing Page:A standalone web page, distinct from the main website, that has been designed for a single focused objective. Often used in marketing campaigns
Landrush Period:A phase in the launch of a new top-level domain (TLD) where domain names are available for registration, usually at a premium price. It typically follows the sunrise period (reserved for trademark holders) and precedes general availability.
Latency:The time it takes for data to travel between its source and destination. In domain terms, latency can refer to the delay between a user entering a domain name in the browser and the website loading.
Link Building:The process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to one's own site, which is a key tactic used in search engine optimization (SEO).
Link Juice:An informal term in the SEO world that refers to the value or equity passed from one page or site to another through links.
Locking (Domain Locking):A security feature offered by many domain registrars. When a domain is locked, it can't be transferred to another registrar without first being unlocked, providing an extra layer of protection against unauthorized domain transfer
Lookup (Domain Lookup):The act of querying or searching for information about a specific domain name, such as its availability, registration details, or WHOIS data.
Long-tail Domain:A domain name that contains three or more words, often very specific or niche. For example, "BestBlueMountainBikes.com" would be a long-tail domain.
M
Managed DNS:A service offered by various companies where they provide DNS management on behalf of their clients. It helps ensure that websites are always accessible and that DNS queries are handled efficiently.
Masked Forwarding:When a domain is forwarded to another website, but the original domain remains visible in the browser's address bar, it's referred to as masked forwarding. This can be done for aesthetic reasons or to maintain brand consistency.
Migration:In web terms, this often refers to the process of moving a website from one server, platform, or domain to another.
Monetization:Turning a domain name into a source of income. This can be achieved through various methods, such as selling the domain, leasing it, or using it for advertising purposes (often with parked domains).
Multilingual Domain Names:Domain names that contain non-Latin characters, such as those from Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or other scripts.
Multidomain SSL Certificate:An SSL certificate that can secure multiple domain names and subdomains under a single certificate. It's especially useful for businesses that operate multiple websites or web services.
N
.NET:One of the original top-level domains introduced in 1985, .NET is derived from "network". Initially intended for organizations involved in networking technologies, it's now a general-purpose domain often used as an alternative to .COM.
Naked Domain:A domain without the "www" prefix, e.g., example.com. Often, webmasters will redirect a naked domain to its corresponding www version (or vice versa) for consistency.
Name Resolution:The process by which domain names are translated into IP addresses, facilitated by the Domain Name System (DNS). This process allows users to access websites via human-readable domain names instead of numeric IP addresses.
Namecheap:A popular domain registrar and web hosting company that allows users to purchase and manage domain names.
Nameserver:A server that translates domain names into IP addresses, allowing users to access websites using domain names instead of IP addresses. Each domain will typically have a primary and secondary nameserver associated with it.
Negative Caching:In DNS, it refers to the caching of the absence of a DNS record. For instance, if a resolver queries for a record that doesn't exist, it will remember that this record is non-existent for a specified duration.
NIC (Network Information Center):An organization responsible for providing the public with information about domains and IP addresses. Each TLD has its own NIC. For example, VeriSign is the NIC for .com domains.
Non-Parked Domain:A domain that is actively being used for a website or email, as opposed to a parked domain which simply holds a placeholder page or is being reserved for future use.
Non-Transferable Domain:A domain status that indicates it cannot be transferred to another registrar. This could be due to various reasons such as a recent domain registration, a recent transfer, or certain locks placed by the domain owner or registrar.
NS Record (Name Server Record):A type of DNS record that specifies the nameservers responsible for a particular domain or subdomain.
O
.ORG:One of the original top-level domains (TLDs) established in 1985. Originally intended for organizations, it's now a general-purpose domain open for anyone to register. Managed by the Public Interest Registry.
Open Registration:A policy that allows anyone to register a domain name without restrictions. Most generic top-level domains (gTLDs) operate under open registration, meaning they're available for anyone to purchase, regardless of affiliation or location.
Origin Server:The primary server where the original content of a website resides. In CDN (Content Delivery Network) contexts, this is the server from which the CDN pulls content to distribute to its various edge servers.
Orphaned Record:A DNS record that points to a resource that no longer exists or is no longer relevant. For instance, an A record might point to an IP address that's no longer in use.
Outbound Transfer:The process of transferring a domain name away from one registrar to another. This is typically initiated by the domain name's current owner and often requires an authorization code.
Ownership Verification:The process of confirming the rightful owner of a domain name. This is often required when transferring domains, changing key settings, or setting up certain services, like SSL certificates.
P
Parked Domain: A domain name that is reserved but not associated with any website or email services. Parked domains often display a temporary webpage when visited.
Popularity: In domain terminology, this can refer to the amount of traffic a domain gets. It's often used by domain brokers and auction platforms to evaluate a domain's worth.
Premium Domain: A domain name considered to have high value because of its short length, keywords, brandability, or other factors. Premium domains often sell for a higher price than typical domains.
Primary Domain: The main domain name associated with a website or hosting account. For many websites, it's the domain that appears in promotional materials and search results.
Private Registration (or WHOIS Privacy): A service offered by domain registrars where the personal information of the domain owner is hidden from the public WHOIS database, providing privacy to domain owners.
Proprietary eTLD: A proprietary electronic top-level domain. These are often used for branded navigation systems in electronic devices and not accessible on the global internet.
PSL (Public Suffix List): A list maintained by Mozilla that details which Internet domains are available for individuals or entities to register. This helps browsers determine domain boundaries.
Punycode: An encoding format used to represent Unicode within the limited character set allowed in domain names. It's often used to represent internationalized domain names (IDNs).
Q
Qualified Domain Name (QDN): A term sometimes used to describe a domain name that includes all parts, including subdomains and top-level domain. Essentially, a fully qualified domain name (FQDN).
Query: In the context of domains, a query typically refers to a request made by a computer to a Domain Name System (DNS) server to resolve the IP address associated with a domain name.
R
Redemption Grace Period (RGP): A period that typically lasts 30 days after a domain has expired and been deleted, during which the original domain owner can still renew it.
Registrar: An organization or commercial entity that manages the reservation of internet domain names. A domain name registrar must be accredited by a generic top-level domain (gTLD) registry or a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) registry.
Registry: An organization that oversees the allocation and administration of domain names within its respective top-level domain. For instance, Verisign is the registry for .com and .net domain names.
Reverse DNS (rDNS): A method of resolving an IP address into a domain name, just as the domain name system (DNS) resolves domain names into associated IP addresses.
RFC (Request for Comments): A type of publication from technology communities, like the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Society (ISOC), which provides information about various aspects of internet technologies, including DNS and domain names.
Root Domain: The highest hierarchical level in a domain. For example, in the domain name "subdomain.example.com," the root domain is "example.com."
Root Server: A server at the top of the DNS hierarchy. These servers hold information about how to reach the top-level domain servers, which, in turn, hold information about the second-level domains (and so on).
Root Zone: The top-level DNS zone in the hierarchical namespace of the DNS of the internet.
S
.sucks TLD: A top-level domain (TLD) that can be registered by anyone for any purpose but is often used to create websites that criticize or satirize a person, place, thing, or idea.
Secondary DNS: A backup DNS server that holds a copy of the domain's DNS records, ensuring accessibility in case the primary DNS server fails.
Secondary Domain: A domain name that points to the same website as another domain. It's often used for marketing purposes or to protect a brand.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The practice of optimizing websites to make them reach a high position in search engines' search results.
Sedo: A popular domain marketplace and monetization provider.
Shadow Domain: A domain that redirects users to a different domain, often used in "black hat" SEO tactics to manipulate search rankings. Search engines generally penalize this.
Subdirectory: A folder within a domain. For example, in the URL "example.com/blog," "blog" is a subdirectory of the main domain "example.com."
Subdomain: A domain that is a part of a larger domain. For instance, in "blog.example.com," "blog" is the subdomain of the main domain "example.com."
Sunrise Period: A phase during a new TLD launch where trademark holders can register domains related to their trademarks before general availability.
Synthetic Record: A type of resource record in Google Cloud DNS that provides additional domain name system (DNS) features.
T
Tagging: In the context of domain names, this refers to the association of a domain name with a particular domain registrar. Each registrar is assigned a unique "tag," and when a domain is "tagged" to a registrar, it indicates that they are responsible for its management.
Template (DNS Template): A predefined set of DNS settings that can be applied to multiple domain names. This can be useful for individuals or organizations managing large portfolios of domain names that need consistent DNS configurations.
Thick Registry: This type of registry maintains extensive information about domain registrations, including registrant information, domain status, creation and expiration dates, and other pertinent details. The opposite is a "Thin Registry," which keeps limited data and relies on registrars for the rest.
TLD (Top-Level Domain): This is the highest level in the domain naming system of the Internet. Examples of TLDs include .com
, .org
, .net
, and country code TLDs like .uk
or .ca
.
Token (Authentication Token): A digital key or code used to prove the authenticity of a domain registrant or administrator, especially during sensitive operations like domain transfers.
TTL (Time to Live): TTL is a value in a DNS record that tells the resolver how long the associated data should be stored in cache. It's a mechanism that prevents outdated or stale data from being served.
Trademark Domain Infringement: When a domain name is registered that is confusingly similar to a trademark, potentially diluting the brand or misleading users.
Two-factor Authentication (2FA): An additional layer of security for online accounts, including domain registrar accounts. Users must provide two types of identification to log in, such as a password and a code sent to a mobile device.
TXT Record: A type of DNS record used to provide text information to sources outside your domain. One common use is the verification of domain ownership.
Typosquatting (or URL Hijacking): Registering domain names that are misspellings of popular brands or websites, hoping to catch users who make typing errors and benefit from the traffic.
U
UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy): Implemented by ICANN, the UDRP is a process established for the resolution of disputes regarding the registration of internet domain names. It provides a mechanism for the speedy resolution of domain squatting and other malicious registrations.
U-label: A Unicode representation of an internationalized domain name. It allows non-ASCII characters to be represented in domain names.
Unicode: A computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation, and handling of text. It's relevant in the context of domains because of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) that use characters from non-ASCII scripts, and they are encoded in Punycode within the DNS system.
Universal Acceptance: A concept promoted by ICANN to ensure that all domain names, including new gTLDs and domain names in non-Latin scripts, are accepted equally in online applications and systems
Unresolved Domain: Refers to a domain name that does not resolve to a valid IP address or website. This could be due to various reasons, including DNS misconfigurations or the domain not being associated with a hosting server.
URI (Uniform Resource Identifier): An identifier for resources on the internet. URLs are a subset of URIs. While URLs give a way to locate a resource by describing its primary access mechanism and network location, a URI is a string of characters that identify a name or a resource.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): A URL specifies the location of a resource on the internet. It is commonly referred to as a web address. For instance, "https://www.example.com" is a URL, where "example.com" is the domain name.
URL Shortener: A service that takes long URLs and shrinks them into shorter, more manageable links. Examples include services like Bitly and TinyURL.
User Agent: In domain and web contexts, it's a software (browser or other client) that accesses a web service on behalf of a user. User agents can affect how content is delivered and displayed based on the identified device, browser, or other criteria.
V
Vanity Domain: A domain name that is branded for marketing purposes. These domains typically contain the name of a product, brand, or company. An example might be "productname.com."
Verification Code: A code sent to domain owners during the transfer process to verify their identity and confirm the transfer.
Virtual Domain: A domain name that is shared by different users but appears to the web as if it is a single entity. For instance, web hosting providers often use virtual domains to give many customers unique domain names even though they are all hosted on the same server.
W
Wildcard Domain: A domain configuration where a single record in the DNS settings can cater to multiple subdomains. It's denoted as an asterisk (*). For example, *.example.com could resolve to any subdomain of example.com without specific DNS entries for each subdomain.
Wildcard SSL Certificate: A digital certificate that secures multiple subdomains of a primary domain, allowing organizations to secure unlimited subdomains with a single certificate.
WHOIS: A query and response protocol used to query databases about domain name registrant information. It can provide details about who owns a specific domain name, their contact information, and more.
WWW (World Wide Web): An information system where documents and other web resources are identified by URLs, which may be interlinked by hyperlinks. Often mistakenly used interchangeably with the "internet", which is the global system of interconnected computer networks.
X
.xxx: A sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) intended as a voluntary option for pornographic sites on the Internet. The sponsoring organization is the International Foundation for Online Responsibility (IFFOR). Websites that apply for this domain are, in theory, making it clear about the adult nature of their content, allowing for easier filtering for those who wish to avoid such content.
Y
yt: The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Mayotte, a department and region of France located in the Indian Ocean.
YubiKey: A physical hardware authentication device designed to authenticate a user online. While more general in the tech space, it’s relevant for domains when considering security and access control for domain management portals and related platforms.
Z
.za: The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for South Africa.
Zone Delegation: In DNS, it refers to the process by which control for a child domain is delegated to a different set of name servers from the parent domain.
Zombie Domain: A domain name that was once used and has been abandoned, but can still cause harm by spreading malware or spam. Zombie domains can be revived by cybercriminals for malicious purposes.
Zone File: In DNS terminology, a zone file is a text-based file that contains the details of the domain and its associated resources. It specifies the available resources, including the addresses of the domain's name servers, mail servers, and any other specific sub-domains.
Zone Transfer: Refers to the process of copying the DNS database for a zone from a primary DNS server to a secondary DNS server. Zone transfers synchronize the data between primary and secondary servers.
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