A domain name is the address people type into their browser to find your website — like yoursite.com. It’s the human-friendly version of your site’s IP address (a string of numbers that computers use to find each other). You register domain names through domain registrars and pay a yearly fee to keep them.
Anatomy of a Domain Name
- Second-level domain — the name you choose (e.g., yoursite)
- Top-level domain (TLD) — the extension (e.g., .com, .net, .org, .io)
- Subdomain — a prefix before the main domain (e.g., blog.yoursite.com)
Choosing a Good Domain Name
- Keep it short and easy to spell
- Avoid hyphens and numbers where possible
- .com is still king for businesses — go for it if available
- Make it memorable and relevant to your brand or content
Domain vs Hosting
These are two separate things. A domain is your address; hosting is where your site actually lives. You can buy them from the same company or different ones — you just point the domain to your hosting using DNS settings.
Popular Domain Registrars
- Namecheap
- Cloudflare Registrar
- Google Domains (now Squarespace Domains)
- GoDaddy
Domains typically cost $10-$20/year for a .com. Watch out for first-year discount deals that spike in renewal price.
Related: Web Hosting
