A domain name is an easy to remember name e.g. example.co.za or example.com that refers or points to the IP address of the server where your website or email is hosted.
An IP address is a unique numeric address (such as 196.7.164.2) that computers use to determine which website to display. Imagine that an IP Address is a phone number and the domain name is “speed dial” listing in a cell phone. You don’t need to know the person’s phone number to contact the person. All you need is the name of the person in your speed dial listing.
Domain names and IP addresses work the same way. You don’t need to know the IP address of a particular website – you simply need to know the domain name. When you type a domain name into a web browser, you are telling the browser to retrieve the website that is associated with a particular IP address.
Domain extensions are categories of domain names e.g. .com, .co.za, .net
What is a gTLD?
Generic top-level domains (gTLDs) can be considered all domains other than country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs).
The most common are:
- .com
- .net
- .org
- .biz
- .info
South Africa’s domains include “co.za”, “web.za”, “net.za” and “org.za”, as well as three SA cities’ Geographic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) of “.joburg”, “.capetown” and “.durban”.
In addition, many themed top-level domains are also considered generic, eg:
- .host
- .co
- .online
- .coffee
According to data from the ZA Central Registry (ZACR), the administrator of South Africa’s presence on the world wide web, “.Co.za” domain names account for just over 95% of all domain name registrations within the ZA country code top-level domain.
South Africans are increasingly snapping up internet domains to help them launch new ventures, businesses, pursue creative and study endeavours, secure their digital identities and generally become much more active online since the pandemic forever changed our lives in early 2020.
“Domain name registration by SMMEs (Small, Medium & Micro Enterprises), in particular, has picked up significantly since March 2020 with many new co.za registrations since lockdown by small business owners who understand that co.za ticks all the right boxes”, the ZACR said.
When it comes to all domains administered by the ZACR, “.africa” now ranks above “.org.za”, with “.web.za” following behind.
When you register, transfer or update a gTLD domain, a domain validation will be required.
