As of my research and knowledge, there is no top-level domain (TLD) registered as “.PRU”. Top-level domains are the highest level of domain names in the root zone of the Domain Name System (DNS) of the internet. The official list of all top-level domains is maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) at the Root Zone Database. This list includes generic top-level domains (gTLDs), such as “.com”, “.info”, “.net”, “.org”, and country code top-level domains (ccTLDs), such as “.fr” for France, “.jp” for Japan, etc.
In fact, the Root Zone Database, which hosts the comprehensive details about TLDs, showcases no records of a “.PRU” domain (source: root-servers.org). This database represents the delegation details of TLDs, including gTLDs such as “.com”, and country-code TLDs such as “.uk”. As far as the list goes currently, “.PRU” is not a registered or recognized top-level domain as per the official record.
However, it’s crucial to note that new top-level domains can be created. ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several databases related to the namespaces and numerical spaces of the Internet, has been opening application windows for new gTLDs to accommodate increasing demand and innovative uses for web addresses. For instance, since 2012, several new gTLDs have been introduced, including “.app”, “.blog”, and “.google” (source: icann.org).
To provide some examples of how new TLDs have altered the internet landscape, consider “.app”, a gTLD reserved for applications offering downloadable software. Google purchased this TLD in 2015 (source: registrarstats.com). Now, websites such as “cash.app” by Square Inc. utilize this domain space.
Another example is “.bank”, a gTLD introduced as a secure and verified space exclusively for the banking community, providing an added level of security against phishers and scammers that was not available under the “.com” domain space (source: fTLD.com).
In conclusion, while “.PRU” is not a currently recognized or registered TLD, the potential for its future application exists, as demonstrated by the variety of new gTLDs in recent years. However, it would require a formal process via ICANN, including a proper application, review, and approval process (source: icann.org).
