New generic top-level domains - which domain extensions are worth it?

A relevant, easy-to-find, and subsequently easy-to-remember domain address often determines success in the professional and commercial environment on the Internet. Two of the most important distinctions in this area are the country-specific domain (country code Top Level Domain, ccTLD) and generic domain extensions (generic Top Level Domain, gTLD). The motive behind introducing new domain extensions is generally to expand the available "reservoir" that companies, organisations, individuals, and authorities can access for their desired domain. The public availability varies greatly - regardless of whether it is a ccTLD or gTLD. The reason for this lies in the principle that new domain extensions can be subject to conditions and requirements imposed by their administrators. In this article, we introduced the new extensions in the hobby and leisure sector.

New Domain Extensions - Important Categories Overview

In early computer networks, the addressing of dedicated servers was done exclusively directly or through addresses encoded in numbers, from which the IP addresses developed according to the TCP/IP protocol. It was only since the establishment of the first Top Level Domains (TLD) and corresponding Nameservers in 1985 that it became possible to use names instead of a machine-readable code within branched networks. New domain extensions in this early stage were always generic domain extensions - they served to differentiate sectors, areas of interest, networks, or information. The development of the Internet led to different variations, with the most important ones being:

• Non-sponsored, generic domain extensions
• Company or institution-sponsored, generic domain extensions
• Regional or country-specific domain
• New domain extensions exclusively used for commercial purposes
• Open or closed domain extensions for registration
• Reserved gTLDs for private, non-profit, or governmental institutions
• Special gTLDs for local use or global infrastructure
• Historical gTLDs and ccTLDs no longer in use today

What differences do various new domain extensions have?

Generic domain extensions primarily differ in two different aspects: in their usage and in the organisation responsible for their management. The first public TLDs are generic domain extensions such as .com, .org, and .net managed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The extension was expanded in 2001 to include .info.

These are contrasted with sponsored gTLDs, where the technical administration is in the hands of selected organisations that have successfully applied for a license from ICANN. These include old extensions like .mil, .edu, or .gov, as well as new domain extensions introduced by ICANN since the turn of the millennium - such as .shop, .berlin, .radio, or .online.

A country-code domain like the German .de, Austrian .at, or a .ch domain from Switzerland consists, with few exceptions, of the two letters of a country or region corresponding to the ISO 3166 standard. Their management is subject to a government-authorised state or private institution.

How is an internet address composed?

Whether it's old or new domain extensions, an internet address always consists of at least a ccTLD or gTLD and an individual name - the presented Second Level Domain separated by a dot. Each combination of Second Level Domain and gTLD is assigned to a fixed owner during the domain registration for a specific period, allowing them to use, market, and trade it like property. Unregistered combinations of Second Level Domain and gTLD can be queried through a domain check and acquired for a fee.

Are there specific requirements for registering new domain extensions?

The responsibility for generic domain extensions such as a country-specific domain lies with the organisation that manages it. They must pay fees to ICANN and provide the technical infrastructure, but can set their own conditions and prices for a Second Level Domain. Some gTLDs like .xyz or .website are open for any use - whether it be representative, commercial, or private. Currently, this includes unsponsored and generic domain extensions like .com or .org. However, new domain extensions, such as the new gTLD .hamburg, may have one or more restrictions, for example:

• Local connection to a region or country
• Affiliation with a specific industry
• High costs for new or ongoing registration
• Allocation to individuals with specific professional qualifications
• Exclusive private or commercial use
• Residency requirements for the applicant
• Mandatory clear identification of the owner through official documents

Specific requirements for using new domain extensions can be determined through a specific inquiry. Providers often inform their customers about such obstacles or offer certain gTLDs only under special conditions.

How to identify suitable new domain extensions?

Even if a desired domain is already taken with a .de domain, there are often affordable alternatives. For regional and national use, these could include a Second Level Domain with special characters like Umlauts and previously unregistered gTLDs. The simplest way to check multiple new domain extensions is through a straightforward domain check with multiple queries. It is also easy to combine Second Level Domains and new domain extensions in various ways and point numerous variations to a single web hosting, VPS hosting, or Dedicated Server.

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