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A web extension, also commonly referred to as a domain extension, is the set of letters that appears at the end of a website address in order to identify the type of content contained within that site. While only a handful of web extensions are used for the majority of websites, there are dozens of options available for you to choose from when registering your website.

 

Commonly Used Web Extensions

The most commonly used web extensions, and the ones you see most frequently, are .com, .net, .org, .biz and .info. Each of these extensions has a different meaning, as follows:

 

• Despite its frequent use by individuals creating personal websites, the .com domain extension actually stands for the word "commercial". Businesses prefer using .com domains when creating websites because they are authoritative and recognisable.
• The .net extension stands for 'network". This type of extension is frequently used for two purposes. Internet providers and web hosting companies like to use them for their own sites and some companies use them to establish their internal or intranet websites – sites they limit access to depending on employment status.
• The next most popular extension is the .org. You'll most often see this type of extension used by non-profit groups or those who represent trade organisations, like The Computing Technology Industry Association (www.comptia.org).
• Domains using the .biz extension aren't as common but do exist. The .biz extension is usually used by small business but not always by choice. Some businesses will purchase a .biz domain if the .com domain they really want is not available.
• Informational websites that wish to maintain an air of credibility will often use .info domains. It is the 4th most popular extension (ranking behind .com, .net, and .org) and often indicates to web browsers that you are offering trustworthy information.

 

Understanding Country Codes

There are a string of domain extensions used to identify websites from different countries. Using domains with foreign extensions can help you to target markets outside of your own demographic. These are just a few examples of the country specific domain extensions you might run into:

 

• .co.uk – This code represents the United Kingdom. The .co portion represents that the site is commercial while the .uk portion represents the country itself. You may stumble upon .org.uk extension as well, representing organizations or non-profits based out of the United Kingdom.
• .de  - This domain extension is often used for websites based out of Germany or targeting German audiences
• .eu – This particular domain is used to represent the European Union but, unlike some other web extensions, there are specific eligibility requirements you must meet in order to purchase a domain with this ending.

 

These are just a few examples of the dozens of different domain extensions available for use on the web.

 

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This work by Sue Cooper is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Australia License.