The top-level domain (TLD) “.today” is a generic TLD (gTLD) in the Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet. A top-level domain is the part of the domain name located to the right of the dot (“.”). The “.today” TLD provides relevant online space and domain names for websites that want to emphasize the currentness, immediateness, or modern outlook of their content, services, or products. An example of a domain using the TLD of ‘.today’ is “www.news.today”.
Just like other TLDs, the “.today” domain extension can be used by individuals, organizations, or businesses. It’s especially suited for blogs, online magazines, newspapers, e-commerce sites, and businesses that focus on trending items, daily deals, or news items. It’s also a brilliant fit for companies that wish to highlight their up-to-date services, products, or to emphasize the present-tense emphasis on their business models.
The .today TLD was approved by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), which is responsible for the coordination of the global Internet’s systems of unique identifiers and, in particular, ensuring its stable and secure operation. ICANN maintains the central repository for IP addresses where network administrators can get the definitive list of all top-level domains, including gTLDs such as “.com”, “.edu”, amended in 2013 with the addition of “.today” among others.
As per domain name registration policies, a “.today” domain can be registered by any person, group, or business intending to connect with viewers in a timely manner and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to its descriptive nature, the .today domain opens up many opportunities for creative domain names.
Donuts Inc, a domain name registry, manages the .today TLD. Donuts holds the largest portfolio of generic top-level domains in the industry. The company applied for 307 new gTLDs in the ICANN’s new gTLD program, with “.today” being one of them (source: Techcrunch.com). Its vision is to secure a wider range of domain names that can provide businesses with the opportunity to create unique and memorable online identities.
Registration of a “.today” domain is facilitated through various domain name registrars. Some of them include, but are not limited to, GoDaddy, Namecheap, and BlueHost. The registration process involves finding a suitable and available domain name, registering it with a chosen registrar, and making the necessary payments to maintain the domain, following the policies as specified by the domain registrar and the TLD registry.
Sources:
1. ICANN (https://www.icann.org/)
2. Donuts Inc.(https://donuts.domains/what-we-do/top-level-domains)
3. TechCrunch (https://techcrunch.com/2013/04/15/donuts-raises-100m-more-to-acquire-307-generic-top-level-domains-from-book-to-surf/)
4. GoDaddy (https://www.godaddy.com/)
5. Namecheap (https://www.namecheap.com/)
6. BlueHost (https://www.bluehost.com/)
