The top-level domain (TLD) “.dj” is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) specifically designated for Djibouti, a small nation situated on the northeast coast of Africa. The International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) officially inscribed. Dj as the ccTLD of Djibouti. Required domain name registration is governed by Djibouti Telecom. Typically, country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) are two letters in length corresponding to ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, as confirmed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The Djibouti Telecom website offers the complete policies and protocols for registering a .dj domain.
Despite being a ccTLD, .dj domains are not restricted to use by entities or citizens of Djibouti. It means that anyone globally can register a .dj domain name. For example, DJ software and DJ companies often show interest in registering .dj domain names intending to make a play on words related to their industry. The .dj ccTLD was also used by Grooveshark, once a popular music streaming service, for their broadcast service (broadcast.dj).
While .dj primarily signifies a geographical location, ccTLDs like these have also been marketed for their English language “domain hacks”, where the user attempts to generate a catchy or memorable URL. An example might be music industry websites, particularly those related to DJing (disk jockeying), which can leverage the domain for its other associations, i.e., ‘DJ’ the term.
The registration for .dj domains was reported by DomainTyper to be currently active with over 1,800 domains under .dj domain. The WHOIS system (for checking domain registration data) can validate this information, managed by IKEDO (Internet Knowledge and Engineering DOT ORG). All the necessary information regarding .dj domains will have a source with the Djibouti Telecom, which supervises registration, issuance, and use of the .dj TLD.
It’s advisable for potential .dj registrants to verify Djibouti’s specific guidelines since some ccTLDs may have regulations regarding who can register a domain. Moreover, considering the high interest from other sectors, like the music industry, one might need to strategize beforehand while selecting particular .dj domain names.
In conclusion, the .dj top-level domain is primarily intended for use by Djibouti, but it has become a marketing tool for disc-jockeys and music-related industries worldwide due to the double-meaning of DJ.
Sources:
1. Djibouti Telecom. (n.d.). Djibouti Telecom. http://www.sttdjiboutidj.net/.
2. ISO 3166-1 alpha-2. https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:code:3166:DJ.
3. W3C. “Domain Name Organisation and Regulations.” https://www.w3.org/.
4. International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. (n.d.). ICANN. https://www.icann.org/.
5. DomainTyper. (n.d.). .DJ Domain Name. https://domaintyper.com/domain-names/top-level/domains/DJ.
6. IKEDO. (n.d.). IKEDO for .dj Domains. http://dj.ikedo.co.jp/.
