What do the first registered domains from 1985 have in common? They all end with generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Unlike TLDs, which are country-specific, gTLDs focus on international web addresses. There were originally less than 10 different gTLDs, but this number has risen to several hundred thanks to new generic top-level domains.
With the rapid global expansion of the internet, an incredible 200 different country domains are now in existence. These are known as country code top-level domains (or ccTLDs for short), and the 200 figure surpasses even the number of countries officially recognised by the United Nations. However, among the existing domain extensions, there are some that are no longer in use. In this top-level...
ICANN manages a list of different top-level domains specific to varying geographic regions. The guidelines these country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) follow (examples: .us (USA), .ca (Canada), or .mx (Mexico), are individually determined by their respective countries, leading to some substantial differences in how they are managed. But what other ccTLDs are out there? And what are the...
Since the introduction of internationalized domain names in 2003, Punycode has been ubiquitous on the internet. Internet addresses like look peculiar, but fulfil an important function: They encode non-ASCII characters into ASCII-compatible character strings and therefore ensure a smooth flow in the network. How does this work, and why is Punycode criticized so often? We’ll tell you.
If well-ranked sites suddenly disappear from the search machine index, it can be for a number of different reasons: In one case, the crawler could no longer check the pages in question, or in another case it could have identified duplicate content and removed one of the pages from the search results. Another reason, often unknown to the external developer, is so-called URL hijacking – a process in...
Are you fed up with your current hosting provider? If so, you should consider transferring your domain. But don’t let the idea scare you off! These days, transferring an existing domain to a new hosting provider is easier than ever before. Check out our guide to ensure you’re up to date with the ins and outs of domain transfers.
The past few years have seen a range of new domain endings emerging on the scene. Top-level domains like .cafe, .nyc, and .education not only introduce variety and individuality into the internet’s address book, but also allow users to identify companies easily – either thematically or geographically. The new .swiss domain ending allows Swiss businesses and institutions to communicate their...
Temporary domain locks and other locking periods for internet addresses are usually only a term for domain traders. But website operators wishing to start a website on a newly-registered domain should read up on locking periods. This is because a resale or a change in provider is not often possible so soon after purchasing a domain. But what exactly are these locking periods and which domains are...
New generic top-level domains (nTLDs) have been conquering the internet since 2013. Besides abbreviations like .com and .org, and the notorious country codes, website owners now have an even bigger choice of descriptive domain endings. Exercising caution when registering is important, since not every abbreviation is intended for general use. In a worst case scenario, your choice of domain could...
The right domain can be a deciding factor in the success of a web project. If it’s short, concise, and catchy it will stick in the mind of potential visitors. The most popular web addresses are usually already taken by website owners or domain traders, meaning that your desired domain could be unavailable. But this doesn’t mean that you have to start looking for a new name for your web project;...
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