A top-level domain or TLD is the most generic part of a domain name. The most common TLDs are:
- .com
- .net
- .edu
- .org
The first three used to have very specific meanings: .com was for commercial sites, .net was for hubs on the network system, .edu was for US educational institutions, and .org was for any organization that didn't fit in the first three categories. But there was very little or no oversite in deciding who got to use which TLD, and so at this time, the only one that really has a specific meaning is .edu. All the others have been made unrestricted and anyone can register a domain on them.
Generic TLDs or gTLDs
Generic TLDs (gTLD) are top-level domains that are not related to a specific country. There are dozens of gTLDs for various purposes. Some are restricted and some are not. Some of the unrestricted gTLDs you might come across include:
- .biz
- .info
- .name
Restricted TLDs
There are also dozens of restricted TLDs. Some of the more common ones include:
- .gov - for U.S. government sites
- .mil - for U.S. military sites
- .asia - for Asian sites
For these and other restricted TLDs, you need to apply for the domain under specific guidelines. These guidelines vary from TLD to TLD.
Country Code TLDs or ccTLDs
Country Code TLDs (ccTLD) are top-level domains that are related to a specific country. They are always two letters long, and there are hundreds of different ccTLDs. Some ccTLDs you might see include:
- .au - Australia
- .de - Germany
- .fr - France
- .uk - United Kingdom
- .us - United States
Some people use ccTLDs for other purposes beyond just the country. These are called vanity ccTLDs. Some popular vanity ccTLDs include:
- .tv - for TV stations
- .am and .fm - for Radio stations
- .ad - for advertising agencies
