Top-level domains (TLDs) are the highest level of domain names in the Internet’s domain name system (DNS). These are the extensions located at the end of the website’s URL, such as .com, .org., .edu, etc.
The origins of the top-level domains can be traced back to the founding of the Domain Name System in 1983 as an essential component in ensuring internet functionality. The original DNS atmosphere was quite simplistic, containing only a handful of generic TLDs (gTLDs). According to the “Brief History of the Domain Name” by CircleID, the original gTLDs were .com, .org, .net, .int, .edu, .gov, and .mil.
.com was intended for commercial entities, .org for organizations (typically non-profit), .net for network infrastructures, .int for intergovernmental organizations, .edu for higher educational institutions in the USA, .gov for governmental entities in the USA, and .mil for the U.S. military.
But how did the choice for these specific TLD sequences come about? The choices were made by Jon Postel, a pivotal developer of internet standards. In RFC 920, authored by Jon Postel and Joyce Reynolds in 1984, they established this system and specifically selected these labels because they represented common terms that categorize the organizations that would be using the internet.
In 1986, country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) were introduced. These are specific to different countries and are based on the two-letter country codes outlined in the ISO 3166 international standard, like .uk for the United Kingdom and .jp for Japan, etc.
The introduction of new TLDs started in 2000, as approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). As stated in “ICANN: The Case for Reform” by the Heritage Foundation, this opened up for a broader range of gTLDs like .info, .biz, .name and more.
The latest evolution of TLDs, also managed by ICANN, are the branded TLDs. These are specific to businesses and organizations who can now have their domain like .google or .apple. This “New gTLD Program” has been developed since 2012.
The internet’s domain system, specifically TLDs, have come a long way from the handful of domain extensions in the ’80s to the personalized and brandable names we find today. While their creation was originally born out of necessity, they’ve evolved into a tool of personalization, brand recognition, and are now a multi-billion dollar industry.
Source:
1. CircleID. A Brief History of the Domain Name. http://www.circleid.com/posts/a_brief_history_of_the_domain_name
2. RFC 920, Domain Requirements. https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc920
3. Heritage Foundation: ICANN-The Case for Reform. https://www.heritage.org/report/icann-the-case-reform
4. ICANN New gTLD Program. https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/timelines
5. ISO 3166 – Country Codes. https://www.iso.org/iso-3166-country-codes.html
