Domain
A domain (domain name) is a unique website address that you enter in the browser search bar. It replaces a long and complex set of numbers (an IP address) that computers use to find servers on the internet.
Contents
- What is a domain in simple words
- How a domain is arranged
- An illustrative example: mail.yandex.ru
- Main domain zones
- National domains (ccTLD)
- International domains (gTLD)
- New thematic zones
- How to register a domain
- 1. Check the availability of the name
- 2. Choose a domain zone
- 3. Register the domain
- 4. Configure DNS
- The difference between a domain and a website
- Other meanings of the word “domain”
What is a domain in simple words
A domain (domain name) is a unique website address that you enter in the browser address bar (for example, google.com or yandex.ru). It replaces a long set of numbers (an IP address) and serves as a landmark for people so that a resource is easy to find on the internet.
You certainly encounter domains every day without even thinking about it. When you open a website, you enter a domain name — it consists of letters that are easy to remember, unlike a digital IP address that looks like 192.168.0.1.
According to statistics, more than 370 million domain names were registered in the world at the beginning of 2026. The most popular domain zones are .com (more than 160 million), .cn (China, about 30 million) and .de (Germany, about 20 million). In Russia, the .ru and .rf zones are popular.
For business, a domain is not just an address but an important element of a brand. A beautiful and memorable domain name increases client trust and improves brand recognition. Read about how to choose a domain for business in the article Fintech.
How a domain is arranged
A domain name is read from right to left and is built on the principle of a hierarchy of levels separated by dots.
An illustrative example: mail.yandex.ru
- .ru (top-level domain or domain zone): Indicates belonging to a country (Russia) or a subject (for example, .com, .net, .org).
- yandex (second-level domain): The direct name of the site, usually associated with a brand, company or project name.
- mail (third-level domain / subdomain): A technical part or section of the site. Created by the domain owner to separate services (for example, the mail service mail. or the blog blog.).
Main domain zones
National domains (ccTLD)
Indicate belonging to a specific country:
- .ru — Russia (the most popular Russian domain)
- .rf — Russia in Cyrillic
- .kz — Kazakhstan
- .by — Belarus
- .ua — Ukraine
- .de — Germany
- .fr — France
International domains (gTLD)
Not tied to a country and used around the world:
- .com — commercial organizations (the most popular in the world)
- .org — non-profit organizations
- .net — network structures (providers, hosting companies)
- .info — information resources
- .biz — business projects
New thematic zones
Appeared in recent years for specific areas:
- .shop — online stores
- .tech — technology companies
- .blog — blogs
- .online — online services
- .site — any websites
How to register a domain
1. Check the availability of the name
Enter the desired name in the search box on the registrar's website (for example, Reg.ru, Beget, Nic.ru). The system will show whether it is free and which zones are available.
2. Choose a domain zone
If the name is taken in the .ru zone, try other zones — .com, .net, .rf or .site. Sometimes you can buy the name from its current owner (the “broker service”).
3. Register the domain
Fill in a form with your details (full name, address, email, phone) and pay for registration. Domains are not sold forever but are rented for a period from 1 to 10 years.
4. Configure DNS
For the domain to start working, it must be linked to hosting. In the DNS settings, specify the addresses of the servers (NS records) that your hosting provider will give you. Read about how DNS works in the article DNS.
The difference between a domain and a website
- A website is the project itself (texts, images, code, databases) located on a special server (hosting).
- A domain is only the address of the site, its “business card”. For the site to work, the domain must be linked to its hosting.
In simple terms: a domain is the address of your house (street, house, apartment), and a website is the house itself with all its rooms and furniture.
Other meanings of the word “domain”
The term “domain” is also used in other areas:
- In IT and networks (Windows): A domain is a group of computers united under the management of one common server (a domain controller). In such a system, access rights for all users are managed by a system administrator.
- In science and physics: A domain is a region of homogeneous state in a magnet or ferroelectric, spontaneously magnetized in a certain direction.
- In biology: A domain is the highest taxonomic category of living organisms, including several kingdoms (for example, archaea, bacteria, eukaryotes).
Read about how to choose a domain for business in the article Low-code.
Frequently asked questions
What is a domain in simple words?
A domain is the address of a website on the internet that you enter in the browser. For example, google.com or yandex.ru are domains. They are needed so that people can easily find websites without remembering complex digital IP addresses. Read more about how the internet works in the article Infrastructure.
How is a domain different from a website?
A domain is only the address of the site (for example, yoursite.ru). A website is the project itself with texts, images and code, which is stored on hosting. A domain can be compared to the address of a house, and a website — to the house itself where you live. Read about choosing hosting in the article Infrastructure.
What domain zones are there?
Domain zones are divided into national (.ru — Russia, .kz — Kazakhstan, .de — Germany), international (.com — commercial, .org — non-profit, .net — network) and new thematic zones (.shop — stores, .tech — technologies, .blog — blogs). The choice of zone depends on the goals of your project. Read about choosing a domain for business in the article Fintech.
How to register a domain?
Choose a registrar (for example, Reg.ru, Beget, Nic.ru), check the availability of the name, choose a zone, fill in the form and pay for registration. The domain is rented for a period from 1 to 10 years. After registration, configure DNS to link the domain to hosting. Read more about configuration in the article DNS.
How much does a domain cost?
The cost of a domain depends on the zone and the registrar. On average, a domain in the .ru zone costs 500-800 rubles per year, .com — 800-1200 rubles, .rf — 300-500 rubles. Premium domains (short and catchy) can cost from tens of thousands to millions of rubles. Read about choosing a domain for business in the article Low-code.
Can I create a website without a domain?
Technically, yes, but it will be inconvenient. Without a domain, a website is accessible only by IP address (for example, 192.168.0.1), which is hard to remember and impossible to use for branding. For a serious project, a domain is mandatory. Read about creating websites in the article Low-code.
What is a subdomain?
A subdomain is a part of the main domain that is created for individual sections of a website. For example, in the address mail.yandex.ru, mail is a subdomain. Subdomains are used to separate services: mail, blog, store, forum. They are created free of charge in the hosting control panel. To study related concepts, we also recommend reading about CDN and DHCP.
Other terms in «Infrastructure»
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Domain
A domain (domain name) is a unique website address that you enter in the browser search bar. It replaces a long and complex set of numbers (an IP address) that computers use to find servers on the internet.
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