Changes

A '''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]].

|note  = This article is neutral, but is [[Sponsorship|sponsored]] by [[Afilias]],<br/> the [[registry]] for [[.info]] and [[.mobi]].<br/>Read more about Afilias [http://www.afilias.info/ here].

|logo    = AfiliasLogo.png

|bronzesponsor = ICANNWiki [[Sponsorship|Bronze Sponsor]]

==Varieties of TLDs==  

 

==Varieties of TLDs==

There are different types of TLDs.   

There are different types of TLDs.   

* [[gTLD]]s, which includes [[sTLD]]s and [[brand TLD]]s.

* [[gTLD]]s, which includes [[sTLD]]s and [[brand TLD]]s.

* [[ccTLD]]s

* [[ccTLD]]s

These TLDs operate in different manners, and can be categorized in some simple ways:

These TLDs operate in different manners, and can be categorized in some simple ways:

** 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).

** 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).

==History==

==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>

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===

===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>

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>

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>

==References==

==References==  

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

__NOTOC__

__NOTOC__

[[Category: Glossary]]

[[Category: Glossary]]