It’s important to understand certain terms and concepts when getting online. A thorough knowledge of the basics helps you make the right decisions on what works best when establishing your online presence.
A domain and a website URL (Uniform Resource Locator) are two terms often used interchangeably. While they are closely related, they are not the same thing.
Read on and explore how domains and URLs differ in meaning and function, and how they’re linked with each other.
What Is a Domain Name
A domain name is an address people use to find your website online. It’s the human-readable version of your website’s IP address, a unique numerical identifier assigned to every device on the internet.
Domains make it easy to locate websites online. For example, when you enter “google.com” on the search bar, a server translates that domain and traces it to a corresponding IP address. Therefore, there’s no need for people to painstakingly remember strings of numerical characters for everything they need to find online.
Domains are purchased from domain registrars. When you buy a domain name, you essentially rent it for a certain period, usually for one year. You can then apply for renewal after it expires.
READ: What Is a Domain Name: A Beginner’s Guide
What Is a Website URL
A website URL or a web address is the complete address of a specific page or resource on a website. A website URL consists of several parts. These are:
- The protocol is the method that your web browser uses to communicate with the website’s host server. The most common protocol is HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). HTTPS is a more secure version of HTTP that encrypts data sent between your web browser and the website’s server.
- The domain name tells your web browser which server to connect to retrieve the website’s content.
- The top-level domain follows the dot after the domain name.
- The path is the specific location of the page on the server. For example, if you want to visit a website’s “About Us” page, the path might be “/about-us.html.”
- The query string is a set of parameters that are added to the end of the URL. These parameters are used to pass information to the server, such as search queries or user preferences. For example, if you search for “cat videos” on YouTube, the URL might include a query string like “?q=cat+videos”.
The Differences Between a Domain Name and a Website URL
Here are the key differences between a domain and a URL in a snapshot:
READ: How to find out who actually owns a domain name
Takeaway
A domain name is the name of a website while a URL is the address of a specific page or resource on a website. This is the primary difference between the two. Think of it this way: a domain name is like your home address. A website URL is a specific room or area in your home that someone is trying to access.
Just as your home address remains the same even if you move furniture around or add new rooms, your domain name remains the same even if you add new pages or resources to your website.
Part of establishing a solid web presence is by having a memorable name for your website. Let us help you find the perfect domain name for your website with our reliable and affordable domain name solutions.
