The top-level domain, or TLD, is the part of a domain name after the final dot: .com in example.com, or .uk in example.co.uk. TLDs sit directly beneath the DNS root zone, which is maintained under the IANA functions.
TLDs fall into several groups:
- Generic TLDs (gTLDs) such as .com, .net, .org and newer ones like .app or .shop.
- Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) such as .de, .ca or .io, two letters based on ISO 3166 codes.
- Sponsored TLDs such as .edu, .gov or .museum, restricted to particular communities.
- Infrastructure TLD: .arpa, used for technical purposes such as reverse DNS.
Each TLD is operated by a registry that sets its own pricing and eligibility rules, so availability, cost and restrictions vary widely from one extension to another.
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Related terms
- ccTLD (Country-Code Top-Level Domain)
- A ccTLD is a two-letter top-level domain assigned to a country or territory, such as .uk, .de, .ca or .io, with rules set by its local registry.
- gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain)
- A gTLD is a generic top-level domain not tied to a country, such as .com, .net, .org, .info, or newer extensions like .app and .store.
- New gTLD
- New gTLDs are the hundreds of extensions introduced by ICANN since 2013, such as .app, .shop, .xyz, .online and .dev, expanding naming options.
- Second-level domain (SLD)
- The second-level domain is the part directly left of the TLD, such as "example" in example.com, and is usually the name you register.