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{{Glossary|
The '''top-level domain (TLD)''' is the right-most string, or series of characters, in every [[URL|web address]]. The [[Domain Name System|domain name system]] allows users to refer to websites and other Internet resources using names rather than the all-numeric IP addresses assigned to each computer on the Internet. Every TLD is managed by a single [[:Category:Registries|registry]].
|note  = This article is neutral, but is [[Sponsorship|sponsored]] by [[Afilias]],<br/> the [[registry]] for [[.info]] and [[.mobi]].<br/>Read more about Afilias's services [http://www.afilias.info/ here].
|logo    = AfiliasLogo.png
|link = http://icannwiki.com/index.php/Afilias
|bronzesponsor = ICANNWiki [[Sponsorship|Bronze Sponsor]]
}}


The '''Top Level Domain'''  ('''TLD''', also sometimes referred to as a '''string''') is the last part of a domain name, for example, [[.com]], [[.net]], [[.us]], [[.info]], etc.<ref>[http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=TLD&i=52942,00.asp TLD]</ref> Each TLD is managed by a single [[registry]].
==TLD Growth - Overview from 1983 to 2021==
{| class="wikitable"
! Dates !! TLDs !! Use !! Reason !! Significance
|-
| 1983 || [[.no]] || [[ccTLD|country code TLD]] || Restricted to use by entities in Norway || The first two-letter country code based on the [[ISO 3166-1]]
|-
| October 1984 || [[.com]], [[.net]], [[.org]] || Open || Any person or entity is permitted to register a domain name using these TLDs|| The first [[gTLD]]s
|-
| October 1984 || [[.edu]], [[.gov]], [[.mil]] || Limited; [[sTLD|an entity has sponsored the operation of this TLD]] || For higher educational institutions, United States governmental entities and agencies, and divisions, services and agencies of the United States Department of Defense, respectively || The first [[gTLD]]s
|-
| 1985 || [[.us]], [[.uk]] [[.il]]  || ccTLDs || USA, UK, Israel || GB is the UK's [[ISO 3166]] country code. However, [[JANET NRS]] defined UK as the top-level domain a few months before the ISO-derived list; it was registered on July 24, 1985.
|-
| 1986 || [[.au]], [[.de]], [[.fi]], [[.fr]], [[.is]], [[.kr]], [[.nl]], [[.se]] || ccTLDs || Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, South Korea, Netherlands, Sweden || The next eight ccTLDs
|-
| November 3, 1988 || [[.int]]  || Limited; sponsored || For organizations, offices, and programs endorsed by a treaty between two or more nations || In response to a request by NATO
|-
|-
| March 1994 || || || || [[Jon Postel]]'s [[RFC 1591]] establishes the baseline standards for eligible TLDs.
|-
| 1996 || || || || Jon Postel drafts "New Registries and the Delegation of International Top Level Domains"
|-
| 1998 || || || || Domain deregulation; [[ICANN]] is formed to oversee Internet names and numbers
|-
| May 2000 || [[.arpa]] || Limited; sponsored || All Internet infrastructure databases || one of the original TLDs, .arpa is re-designated at this time as an Address and Routing Parameter Area, critical to maintaining the [[SSR| stability of the Internet]]
|-
| November 16, 2000 || [[.aero]], [[.biz]], [[.coop]], [[.info]], [[.museum]], [[.name]], [[.pro]] || Sponsored gTLDs ||  ||
|-
| June 29, 2006 || || Test domains || per [[ICANN Board]] Resolution 07.47 || eleven such domains have been delegated thus far
|-
| 2007 || [[.cat]], [[.eu]], [[.asia]]|| Sponsored [[geoTLD|specifically for a cultural, ethnic, or regional group]] || Represents Catalan language and culture, the countries in the European Union, and the Asian continent, respectively || The first TLDs to denote geographical, geopolitical, ethnic, social, or cultural representation
|-
| October 30, 2009 || || || || [[IDN ccTLD]] [[IDN Fast Track|Fast Track Process]] is approved by the [[ICANN Board]]
|-
| || [[.jobs]], [[.mobi]], [[.tel]], [[.travel]] || limited to entities having something to do with the phrase comprising the TLD in question ||
|-
|May 5, 2010 || [[مصر]] [[السعودية]] [[امارات]] || [[IDN ccTLD]]s || From right to left, for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates || For the first time in the history of the Internet, non-Latin characters are being used for top-level domains
|-
| April 2011 || [[.xxx]] || Sponsored gTLD ||  || [[ICM Registry]] had submitted proposals for this sTLD for pornographic sites since 2000
|-
| June 20, 2011 || [[.post]] || sTLD || last TLD before New TLD Program ||  [[ICANN Board]] votes to dramatically increase the number of gTLDs from the 22 already in operation
|-
| January 12, 2012 || || [[Community TLD|community]] or standard || applicant decides if the nTLD is for a defined community consisting of a restricted population; the distinction between sponsored/unsponsored TLDs is deemed irrelevant to this round of nTLDs ||The application window for [[All New gTLD Applications]] opens
|-
| June 13, 2012 || [[.scot]] || community nTLD application  || for Scottish culture || Reveal Day: [[All New gTLD Applications|1,930 applications for new gTLDs submitted]]; '''751''' of which were contested
|-
| July 15, 2013 || [[.сайт]], [[.онлайн]], [[.شبكة]], [[.游戏]]  || [[IDN]] nTLDs || (xn--80aswg) – Russian for "site"; (xn--80asehdb) – Russian for "online"شبكة (xn--ngbc5azd) – Arabic for "web/network"; (xn--unup4y) – Chinese for "game(s)" || First four nTLD aggreements signed
|-
| September 15, 2014 || [[.prof]] || -- || -- || 400th nTLD was delegated
|-
| 20 May 2017 || [[ccTLD]]s || -- || -- || 255 ccTLDs delegated
|-
| June 2020 || [[IDN]] ccTLDs || --  || --  || 61 IDN ccTLDs approved
|-
| October 17, 2020 || [[.spa]] || nTLD || latest delegated nTLD || [[IANA]] lists 1589 TLDs (1503 in use, 67 not assigned/revoked, 8 retired, 11 test domains)
|}


==Varieties of TLDs==
==Varieties of TLDs==  
There are different types of TLDs.   
There are different types of TLDs.   
===[[gTLD]]s===
*[[gTLD|the original generic top-level domains]]
*[[sTLD]]s - has a sponsor for a specific purpose, such as to represent a specific ethnic community, professional group, or geographical location.
*[[All New gTLD Applications|nTLD]]s - domains that were introduced beginning in October 2013
*[[community TLD]]s relate to local events, gatherings, organizations, or communities, in essence replacing sTLDs
*[[geoTLD]]s represent geographical or regional areas that are not countries with three or more ASCII characters.
*[[brand TLD]]s - corporations use their corporate name as their website's top-level identifier instead of .com or .biz domain space
*[[hSTLD]]s
===[[ccTLD]]s===
[[:Category:CcTLD|Country-code TLDs]] are delegated to a designated [[:Category:CcTLD Registry|ccTLD registry]], which is operated by a [[:Category:CcTLD Manager|ccTLD Manager]], according to local policies that are adapted to meet the economic, cultural, linguistic, and legal circumstances of the country or territory involved.
*[[ccTLD|ccTLDs with ASCII characters]]
:TLDs with two ASCII characters have been established for over 250 countries and external territories, including Strings eligible under [[ICANN Board]] Resolution 00.74 (currently this category applies to only one domain, .eu) [https://features.icann.org/2000-09-25-delegation-cctlds ICANN - Board Resolution on the Delegation of ccTLDs], and "Grandfathered" TLDs from prior to 2000, based on "exceptionally reserved" codes in the ISO 3166-1 standard (this category currently applies to two TLDs - .uk and .ac);
*[[IDN ccTLD]]s
:TLDs with non-ASCII characters designated for a country or geographic region.


* [[gTLD]]s, which includes [[sTLD]]s and [[brand TLD]]s.
==Operating Mode==
* [[ccTLD]]s
TLDs operate in different manners but can be categorized in some simple ways:
* [[geoTLD]]s
* Open - Operating and offering both registration and resolution services.
* Closed - Not accepting registrations, may be resolving evergreen/legacy/infrastructure subdomains.


These TLDs operate in different manners, and can be categorized in some simple ways:
==Level of Restriction==
* Unrestricted - If there are no requirements that must be met in order to register a name under a TLD, that TLD is Unrestricted.
* Restricted - Requiring Local Physical Address, Local Tax ID, or other specific criteria to qualify.


* Operating Mode:
==Reserved Names==
** Open - Operating and offering both registration and resolution services.
Some domain names are reserved, which means they can only be used (if at all) by the [[:Category:Entities|entities]] for whom they are reserved.
** Closed - Not accepting registrations, may be resolving evergreen/legacy/infrastructure subdomains.
* [[ccTLDs|country code top-level domains]]
* Level of Restriction:
* [[ICANN|related to ICANN]]
** Unrestricted - If there are no requirements that must be met in order to register a name under a TLD, that TLD is Unrestricted.
* [[IANA|related to IANA functions]]
** Restricted - Requiring Local Physical Address, Local Tax ID, or other specific criteria be met to qualify in order to provision a name.
* [[:Category:Government|names of countries and territories]]
** Sponsored - A variation on Restricted, the applicant for a domain in an [[STLD]] must meet the requirements within that TLD (ie. [[.jobs]] would require that Human Resources be involved, [[.travel]] would require certain Travel criteria are met, etc).
* [[:Category:Organizations|names of international and intergovernmental organizations]]
 
* [[:Category:registries|names that a registry operator uses to operate the gTLD]]
==History==
The need for a hierarchical [[DNS]] arose with the popularity of the Internet in academic spheres in the early 1980s, which eventually necessitated a decentralized Internet. Communications between [[The Stanford Research Institute NIC]] and other institutions included plans to create a hierarchical [[DNS]], and can be found in [http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc805.txt RFC 805], a group document from 1982. This document outlines many of the basics of the eventual [[DNS]], including the need for [[TLD]]s to provide a fixed starting point for queries, and the need for [[SLD]]s to be unique. This, in turn, would necessitate the need for a [[registrar]] type of administration, and help the nascent IT community recognize that the distribution of responsibility for each domain to individual name servers would provide administrative advantages.<ref>[http://www.livinginternet.com/i/iw_dns_history.htm Living Internet]</ref>
 
===Innovations===
At its Seoul conference in 2009, [[ICANN]] approved the [[IDN]] [[ccTLD]] Fast Track process, which allowed [[ccTLD]]s to be written in non-latin characters. Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates are some of the first countries to advance in the application and implementation process.<ref>[http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978296758 Gather.com]</ref>
 
Following a six year development process, [[ICANN]] launched the [[New gTLD Program]] at its Singapore conference in June, 2011. This unlimited expansion program allowed anyone to apply to run nearly any string for the first time in the history of the Internet.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-20jun11-en.htm ICANN Approves Historic Change to Internet's Domain Name System, icann.org]</ref> On June, 13th, 2012 ("Reveal Day"), it was announced that there were 1,930 applications: 84 of these were [[Community gTLD|community applications]], 116 are for [[IDN]]s, and 230 of the applications have one or more applicant and will thus go through [[String Contention|string contention]] processes. This means the first round of the new gTLD program could create a maximum of 1,409 new TLDs.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/06/13/nnew-gtlds-by-the-numbers-1930-apps-751-apps-in-conflict-max-number-of-new-gtlds-1409/ New gTLDs by the Numbers, TheDomains.com]</ref>
 
 
=Chinese version of this page/本页中文版=
 
===顶级域===
 
'''顶级域'''（'''顶级域'''，有时也称为'''字符串'''）指的是位于一个域名最后的部分，比如，[[.com]]、 [[.net]]、[[.us]]、[[.info]]等等。<ref>[http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=TLD&i=52942,00.asp TLD]</ref> 每一个顶级域都由一个单独的[[Registry|注册局]]管理。
 
==顶级域的种类==
顶级域可以分为不同的类型。
* [[gTLD|通用顶级域]]，其中包括[[sTLD|赞助类顶级域]] 和[[brand TLD|品牌类顶级域]]。
* [[ccTLD|国家代码顶级域 ]]
* [[geoTLD|地理类顶级域]]
 
上述顶级域的运作方式各不相同，但是可以通过一些简单的途径进行归类：
 
* 运作模式：
** 开放型 – 运作并且提供注册和解析服务
** 封闭型 – 不接受注册，可以解析遗产/基础设施类子域名。
* 限制的级别：
** 无限制类– 如果不需要满足任何条件就可以注册一个顶级域下的域名时，这样的顶级域称为无限制顶级域。
** 限制类 – 要求具有本地物理地址，本地税号或符合其他特定条件才能注册域名的顶级域。
** 赞助类 – 是限制类顶级域的一个变体，申请[[STLD|赞助类顶级域]]中域名的申请人必须符合该顶级域的要求（比如，[[.jobs]]会要求人力资源的参与，[[.travel]]会要求必须符合特定的旅行条件等等）
 
 
==历史==
在20世纪80年代初期，随着互联网在学术界的普及，人们对分层式[[DNS|域名系统]]的需求开始凸显，并最终形成了一个分散式的互联网。[[The Stanford Research Institute NIC|斯坦福研究所网络信息中心]]与其他机构的沟通中包含了创建一个分层式[[DNS|域名系统]]的计划，内容可以参考1982年形成的一份团体文件[http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc805.txt RFC 805]。文件中概括了许多形成最终[[DNS|域名系统]]的基本要素，包括要求创建[[TLD|顶级域]]从而形成查询的固定起始点，以及形成独特[[SLD|赞助类顶级域]]的要求。由此也促使形成一个[[registrar|注册商]]类型的行政机构，也让初期的IT社区意识到将每个域名的责任分配到单个的域名服务器所具有的管理优势。<ref>[http://www.livinginternet.com/i/iw_dns_history.htm Living Internet]</ref>
 
===改革===
在2009年的首尔会议中，[[ICANN|互联网名称与数字地址分配机构（ICANN）]]批准了[[CcTLD|国家代码顶级域]] [[IDN|国际化域名]]的快速跟踪流程，从而允许国家代码顶级域中可以使用非拉丁字符。俄罗斯、埃及、沙特阿拉伯和阿联酋是首批进行申请和执行的国家。<ref>[http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978296758 Gather.com]</ref>
 
经过6年的开发以后，[[ICANN]]在2011年6月的新加坡会议中推出了[[New gTLD Program|新通用顶级域项目]]。这个无限制的扩展项目在互联网历史中首次允许所有人申请运作几乎所有的字符串。.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-20jun11-en.htm ICANN Approves Historic Change to Internet's Domain Name System, icann.org]</ref> 2012年6月13日（揭晓日），其宣布共有1,930申请：其中有84份为[[Community gTLD|社区申请]]，116份为针对[[IDN|国际化域名]]的申请，还有230份申请拥有一名或多名申请人，因此需要通过[[String Contention|字符串争用]]进行解决。这意味着“新通用顶级域项目”的首轮扩展将最多产生1,409个新通用顶级域。<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/06/13/nnew-gtlds-by-the-numbers-1930-apps-751-apps-in-conflict-max-number-of-new-gtlds-1409/ New gTLDs by the Numbers, TheDomains.com]</ref>
 
 
 
''Chinese translation of this page provided thanks to [[TLD Registry]] Ltd.''
 
==References==
{{reflist}}


__NOTOC__
__NOTOC__
[[Category: Glossary]]
[[Category: Glossary]]
[[Category:Articles with Chinese]]

Latest revision as of 18:43, 19 March 2021

The top-level domain (TLD) is the right-most string, or series of characters, in every web address. The domain name system allows users to refer to websites and other Internet resources using names rather than the all-numeric IP addresses assigned to each computer on the Internet. Every TLD is managed by a single registry.

TLD Growth - Overview from 1983 to 2021[edit | edit source]

Dates TLDs Use Reason Significance
1983 .no country code TLD Restricted to use by entities in Norway The first two-letter country code based on the ISO 3166-1
October 1984 .com, .net, .org Open Any person or entity is permitted to register a domain name using these TLDs The first gTLDs
October 1984 .edu, .gov, .mil Limited; an entity has sponsored the operation of this TLD For higher educational institutions, United States governmental entities and agencies, and divisions, services and agencies of the United States Department of Defense, respectively The first gTLDs
1985 .us, .uk .il ccTLDs USA, UK, Israel GB is the UK's ISO 3166 country code. However, JANET NRS defined UK as the top-level domain a few months before the ISO-derived list; it was registered on July 24, 1985.
1986 .au, .de, .fi, .fr, .is, .kr, .nl, .se ccTLDs Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, South Korea, Netherlands, Sweden The next eight ccTLDs
November 3, 1988 .int Limited; sponsored For organizations, offices, and programs endorsed by a treaty between two or more nations In response to a request by NATO
March 1994 Jon Postel's RFC 1591 establishes the baseline standards for eligible TLDs.
1996 Jon Postel drafts "New Registries and the Delegation of International Top Level Domains"
1998 Domain deregulation; ICANN is formed to oversee Internet names and numbers
May 2000 .arpa Limited; sponsored All Internet infrastructure databases one of the original TLDs, .arpa is re-designated at this time as an Address and Routing Parameter Area, critical to maintaining the stability of the Internet
November 16, 2000 .aero, .biz, .coop, .info, .museum, .name, .pro Sponsored gTLDs
June 29, 2006 Test domains per ICANN Board Resolution 07.47 eleven such domains have been delegated thus far
2007 .cat, .eu, .asia Sponsored specifically for a cultural, ethnic, or regional group Represents Catalan language and culture, the countries in the European Union, and the Asian continent, respectively The first TLDs to denote geographical, geopolitical, ethnic, social, or cultural representation
October 30, 2009 IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process is approved by the ICANN Board
.jobs, .mobi, .tel, .travel limited to entities having something to do with the phrase comprising the TLD in question
May 5, 2010 مصر السعودية امارات IDN ccTLDs From right to left, for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates For the first time in the history of the Internet, non-Latin characters are being used for top-level domains
April 2011 .xxx Sponsored gTLD ICM Registry had submitted proposals for this sTLD for pornographic sites since 2000
June 20, 2011 .post sTLD last TLD before New TLD Program ICANN Board votes to dramatically increase the number of gTLDs from the 22 already in operation
January 12, 2012 community or standard applicant decides if the nTLD is for a defined community consisting of a restricted population; the distinction between sponsored/unsponsored TLDs is deemed irrelevant to this round of nTLDs The application window for All New gTLD Applications opens
June 13, 2012 .scot community nTLD application for Scottish culture Reveal Day: 1,930 applications for new gTLDs submitted; 751 of which were contested
July 15, 2013 .сайт, .онлайн, .شبكة, .游戏 IDN nTLDs (xn--80aswg) – Russian for "site"; (xn--80asehdb) – Russian for "online"شبكة (xn--ngbc5azd) – Arabic for "web/network"; (xn--unup4y) – Chinese for "game(s)" First four nTLD aggreements signed
September 15, 2014 .prof -- -- 400th nTLD was delegated
20 May 2017 ccTLDs -- -- 255 ccTLDs delegated
June 2020 IDN ccTLDs -- -- 61 IDN ccTLDs approved
October 17, 2020 .spa nTLD latest delegated nTLD IANA lists 1589 TLDs (1503 in use, 67 not assigned/revoked, 8 retired, 11 test domains)

Varieties of TLDs[edit | edit source]

There are different types of TLDs.

gTLDs[edit | edit source]

  • the original generic top-level domains
  • sTLDs - has a sponsor for a specific purpose, such as to represent a specific ethnic community, professional group, or geographical location.
  • nTLDs - domains that were introduced beginning in October 2013
  • community TLDs relate to local events, gatherings, organizations, or communities, in essence replacing sTLDs
  • geoTLDs represent geographical or regional areas that are not countries with three or more ASCII characters.
  • brand TLDs - corporations use their corporate name as their website's top-level identifier instead of .com or .biz domain space
  • hSTLDs

ccTLDs[edit | edit source]

Country-code TLDs are delegated to a designated ccTLD registry, which is operated by a ccTLD Manager, according to local policies that are adapted to meet the economic, cultural, linguistic, and legal circumstances of the country or territory involved.

TLDs with two ASCII characters have been established for over 250 countries and external territories, including Strings eligible under ICANN Board Resolution 00.74 (currently this category applies to only one domain, .eu) ICANN - Board Resolution on the Delegation of ccTLDs, and "Grandfathered" TLDs from prior to 2000, based on "exceptionally reserved" codes in the ISO 3166-1 standard (this category currently applies to two TLDs - .uk and .ac);
TLDs with non-ASCII characters designated for a country or geographic region.

Operating Mode[edit | edit source]

TLDs operate in different manners but can be categorized in some simple ways:

  • Open - Operating and offering both registration and resolution services.
  • Closed - Not accepting registrations, may be resolving evergreen/legacy/infrastructure subdomains.

Level of Restriction[edit | edit source]

  • Unrestricted - If there are no requirements that must be met in order to register a name under a TLD, that TLD is Unrestricted.
  • Restricted - Requiring Local Physical Address, Local Tax ID, or other specific criteria to qualify.

Reserved Names[edit | edit source]

Some domain names are reserved, which means they can only be used (if at all) by the entities for whom they are reserved.

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