Explanation of Domain Name Extensions
Many domain suffixes were introduced over the first 20 years of the World Wide Web. The most familiar is .com, but there are hundreds of other domain name extensions in use.
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Significance
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The purpose of a domain name extension is to identify a website's organization type. This extension is also known as a top-level domain.
.com
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A .com domain suffix indicates that a web site is for commercial purposes. Since it is so recognizable, most individuals and businesses prefer a website that ends in .com.
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.org
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Websites ending in .org are usually associations or non-profit organizations. If you're conducting Internet research, these sites will usually contain the most trustworthy content.
.gov
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The .gov extension is reserved for government branches.
.net
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A .net extension was originally used for true networks, Internet service providers or Internet technology companies. Companies and individuals now use .net extensions because it allows for similar domain names. For example, a company could use xyz.com and an individual could have xyz.net.
Other Types
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Schools and universities often use .edu. Country of origin for products sold online can be indicated by .us (United States), .ca (Canada), .uk (United Kingdom) and many others.
The military uses .mil to distinguish its websites.
Newer domain suffixes, like .biz, .info, .me or .name can be used by anyone.
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