A Top-Level Domain (TLD) is part of the Domain Name System (DNS) which helps with the organization and classification of domain names on the Internet. The TLD is the last segment of the domain name that’s located after the final dot, and they are primarily classified into two categories: generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and country code top-level domains (ccTLDs).
“.INSTITUTE” is a generic top-level domain (gTLD). It was proposed in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN) New gTLD Program, and entered into the DNS root in September 2014. The application and execution of the “.INSTITUTE” domain is backed by Donuts (Binky Moon, LLC), which is an American company that operates more than 300 generic top-level domains as of 2021.
Technical Specifications of .INSTITUTE TLD:
DNSSEC – DNS Security: DNSSEC is supported, which adds a layer of security to the domain name to prevent others from hijacking it or doing phishing attacks. Implementation of DNSSEC shows commitment to security.
Internationalized Domain Name (IDN): “.INSTITUTE” supports the use of non-ASCII characters, allowing the registration of domains in different languages. This widens the reach of the TLD to non-English language speakers worldwide.
WHOIS Privacy: The .INSTITUTE domain allows WHOIS privacy, a service that hides personal information from being publicly visible in the WHOIS database. This helps protect the domain registrants from potential spammers or hackers.
The .INSTITUTE domain can be registered by anyone without restriction, making it a great choice for educational institutions, research organizations, or any entity that presents itself as an institute. For example, computer.institute or research.institute.
The domain operates on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost varies depending on the registrar but usually ranges between $20-30/year.
As per the WHOIS record provided by ICANN, there are several thousand registered .INSTITUTE domain names, indicating it’s a popular choice among users who want to associate their websites with an ‘institute’ connotation.
Sources Used:
1. ICANN, Registry Agreements (https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/registries/registries-agreements-en)
2. Donuts Inc (https://donuts.domains/)
3. Wikipedia, Top-level domain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top-level\_domain)
4. ICANN, “.INSTITUTE” Delegation Record in the Root Zone Database (https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/institute.html)
5. ICANN, WHOIS (https://lookup.icann.org/)
