Quick introduction on Domain Name System

Quick introduction on Domain Name System

Millions of websites compete for users’ attention online, and one of the most important factors in their success is the domain name.

It all began in 1984 at the University of Wisconsin, where researchers developed the first name server to help manage the growing number of network users. By 1985, the Domain Name System (DNS) was introduced, and the first top-level domains (.com, .net, .org) were established. The very first domain name registered was Symbolics.com.

In 1990, as the internet expanded for commercial use and the World Wide Web was introduced, the first domain name registration service provider emerged, overseen by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Until 1995, domain names could be registered for free. That changed when Network Solutions was given the authority to charge for registrations, with prices starting at $100 for a two-year registration.

1998 marked the privatization of DNS and the formation of ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), which reduced the costs of domain name registration and introduced more competition in the market.

Today, global domain name marketplaces and providers like Sedo, Flippa, and GoDaddy offer not only domain registration but also domain transactions and professional hosting services.

A domain name is powerful because it gives a website its unique address on the web, making it easily recognizable and accessible.

In simple terms, a domain name is made up of two parts: the unique string of characters (the name itself) and the domain extension.

The most common domain extensions are TLDs (Top-Level Domains), including gTLDs (generic domains) like .com and .net, as well as ccTLDs (country-code domains) like .us or .al.

Currently, there are over 330 million domain names registered worldwide. With an ever-growing market and countless registrars, obtaining a domain name has never been easier. Both companies and individuals are increasingly investing in the domain market, fueling its continued growth.

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