Domain Suffixes Explained (Domain Names Simplified Series)

Domain names (or DNS addresses for the geeks) are a system by which people like you and me can reach the computer we want and get the information without the hassle of remembering a sequence of seemingly unrelated numbers ( called IP addresses )

Domain names are further suffixed to provide the user with some means of identification of the nature of the website and a means of classification for the web sites themselves. These suffixes are referred to as top – level domains.

The common examples of these are .com, .org, .net, the newer .biz, .name, .info etc.

These suffixes help to provide further information about where the computer is located and what is it prime reason for existence i.e. for commercial purposes, non-profit organization, networking purposes or purely as a B-2-B site (business to business site).

On the basis of their primary motive, domain names are registered. Hence, since most businesses exist for commerce, the most common suffix is … yes you guessed it right! .COM!!

So common is this particular top level domain that it is mostly implied when we visit a website. Hence, for more purposes than purely commercial is this suffix used.

A brief overview of the common suffixes is outlined below

SUFFIX Meaning

.com Commercial Site
.org Non-profit organization site
.net Site within a larger network.
.biz Purely for Business-to-Business sites
.name For identity purposes of an individual or organization
.info Informational sites providing no e-commerce
.co.uk Site based in the United Kingdom
.co.in Site based in India

Note: The last to suffixes can be replaced by most other country’s two letter abbreviation. Eg. For a Japanese site .co.jp would be the suffix.

Check whether your domain name is available here.

Gautamm Mehra is a young entrepreneur and IT consultant. He was introduced to computers in 1989 and has since than had a passion for everything digital. You can write to him at gautam [dot] mail [at] gmail [dot] com. You can visit his company’s website at http://in.sigelweb.com/