TLD Guides

A generic TLD operated by Google, launched 2018. Notably the first TLD with HSTS preload-list enforcement — every .app domain must serve HTTPS or it will not load in modern browsers.

The original commercial top-level domain. Operated by Verisign, in continuous use since 1985, and still the most commercially valuable TLD on the internet.

Operated by Google Registry. Notable for being the first TLD with a registry-mandated HTTPS requirement (HSTS preload baked into the root). Popular among developer tools + project sites.

One of the original six TLDs from 1985. Originally for network-related entities; now a generic alternative to .com when the .com is unavailable.

Originally for organizations that didn't fit .com (commercial), .net (network), or .edu (education). Strongly associated with non-profits + advocacy + open-source projects.

A new gTLD launched in 2015 by Radix. Adopted by tech conferences, technology-focused startups, and education programs that want a name that explicitly signals "technology".

A pure-generic TLD with no thematic restrictions. Heavily marketed in 2014; has surged again post-2020 as the de-facto extension for crypto and Web3 projects.

The country-code TLD for Anguilla. Demand exploded post-2022 as AI startups adopted it as the canonical extension for machine-learning products.

.AI domains are the country code top-level domain for Anguilla, popular among tech startups and AI companies.

Country-code TLD for Australia. Until 2022 only second-level (com.au, net.au, etc.) was available; .au at the second level launched March 2022 with priority for existing holders.

Country-code TLD for Brazil. Largest ccTLD in Latin America. Requires CPF (individual tax ID) or CNPJ (corporate ID) for registration.

Country-code TLD for Canada. Strict Canadian Presence Requirements — registrants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Canadian businesses.

Country-code TLD for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Marketed globally as a .com alternative — search engines historically treated it as generic rather than country-specific.

Country-code TLD for China. Operated by CNNIC. Required for any site targeting the Chinese market with formal local presence; subject to ICP licensing requirements for hosting in China.

The country-code TLD for Colombia, repositioned in 2010 as a global short alternative to .com. Popular with startups when the equivalent .com is unavailable or premium-priced.

Country-code TLD for Germany. The largest ccTLD by registration count globally (~17 million). Strong DE-market SEO signal; required for any business with German operations.

Country-code TLD for Spain. Open to anyone (no Spanish residency required). Strong SEO signal for the Spanish market — recommended over .com for Spain-targeted businesses.

Country-code TLD for France. Required for businesses targeting the French market — French consumers strongly prefer .fr in search results. Open to EU-residents + designated French presence.

Country-code TLD for the Bailiwick of Guernsey, but globally famous as the gaming community's "good game" abbreviation. Used heavily for esports, game tools, and Discord-adjacent projects.

Country-code TLD for India. Open globally with no local-presence requirement. Used by Indian businesses targeting the domestic market and by global brands wanting India-specific SEO.

Originally the country-code TLD for the British Indian Ocean Territory, .io has become the de-facto extension for developer tooling, startups, and infrastructure products.

Country-code TLD for Italy. Open to EU-area residents + organizations; non-EU registrants need an Italian or EU representative. Strong IT-market SEO signal.

Country-code TLD for Japan. Strong local-presence requirement enforced by JPRS. .co.jp specifically requires a registered Japanese corporation.

Country-code TLD for South Korea. Strict Korean-presence requirement for second-level .kr; .co.kr requires a registered Korean business.

The country-code TLD for Montenegro. Open globally with no restrictions. Popular for personal portfolio sites + landing pages where the "me" reads as the personal pronoun.

Country-code TLD for Mexico. Open to anyone globally. The largest ccTLD in Latin America after .br. Strong Mexican-market SEO signal.

Country-code TLD for the Netherlands. Open to anyone globally (no Dutch residency required). One of the highest ccTLD penetration rates per capita in the world.

Country-code TLD for Russia. Open to anyone globally. Default for Russian-language sites. Note: international hosting + payment + sanctions complications since 2022.

Country-code TLD for Somalia. Open globally with no nexus requirement. Used as a short two-letter alternative for the word "so" or as a stand-alone two-letter brand suffix.

The country-code TLD for Tuvalu, marketed globally as the extension for television, video, and streaming services. Twitch.tv made it the default for live streaming.

Country-code TLD for the United Kingdom. Until 2014 only the second-level .co.uk / .org.uk / .me.uk was available; now the bare .uk is also offered. Strong UK-market signal for SEO.