A domain name is the human-friendly address of a website, such as example.com. Computers find each other with numeric IP addresses like 203.0.113.10; a domain is a memorable label that points to those numbers and can be moved to a new server without visitors noticing.
In short
- You do not buy a domain forever; you register it for one or more years and renew it.
- The domain only stores directions (nameservers and DNS records). Your website files live on hosting, a separate service.
- DNS translates the name into an IP address each time someone visits.
The parts of a domain
Read a domain from right to left, from most general to most specific:
| Part | Example in shop.example.co.uk | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Top-level domain (TLD) | .uk | Run by a registry; see TLDs explained. |
| Second-level zone | .co.uk | Some countries add a category level. |
| Registered name | example | The part you choose and register. |
| Subdomain | shop | Created freely by the owner; see subdomains vs subdirectories. |
Who manages domains
ICANN coordinates the global system. Each TLD is run by a registry (for example Verisign for .com). You register a name through a registrar such as MdmHost, which records you as the registrant. Details: registrars, registries and ICANN.
How a domain leads to your website
- You type
example.comin the browser. - The registry's records say which nameservers are responsible for the domain.
- Those nameservers return the domain's A record, the server IP.
- The browser connects to that IP and your hosting server sends the page.
The full chain is explained in how DNS resolves a domain.
Domain, hosting and email are different things
One company can provide all three, but they are separate services that you can split. See domain vs hosting vs email.
Next steps
- How to choose a good domain name
- Register or transfer a domain with MdmHost
- Search for your domain