In today’s digital age, having a website has become a necessity for businesses and individuals alike. However, before you can create a website, it’s important to understand the basics of website URLs and domain names.
So, what exactly are website URLs and domain names?
A website URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of a webpage on the internet. It’s what you type into your web browser to access a website. URLs consist of several different parts, including the protocol (http or https), the domain name, and the path.
The protocol is the set of rules that allow computers to communicate with each other over the internet. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) are the most common protocols used for accessing webpages.
The domain name is the part of the URL that identifies the website. For example, in the URL “https://builditdinah.com/self-hosted-wordpress-vs-wordpress-com-which-is-better/,” “builditdinah.com” is the domain name. A domain name can contain letters, numbers, and hyphens, but no spaces.
Lastly, the path is the part of the URL that specifies the location of a specific webpage within a website. For example, in the URL “https://builditdinah.com/self-hosted-wordpress-vs-wordpress-com-which-is-better,” “/search” is the path.
Domain names
Now, let’s talk about domain names in more detail. A domain name is a unique name that identifies a website on the internet. It’s the part of the URL that comes after the protocol and before the path.
When choosing a domain name for your website, there are a few things to consider. First, you want it to be easy to remember and spell. Second, you want it to be relevant to your website’s content. And third, you want to make sure it’s available for registration.
To register a domain name, you need to use a domain registrar, which is a company that manages the reservation of domain names. There are many domain registrars to choose from, and prices can vary depending on the extension (.com, .org, .net, etc.) and the popularity of the domain name.
Once you’ve registered your domain name, you’ll need to set up hosting for your website. Hosting is the service that allows your website to be accessible on the internet. You can either choose to host your website on your own server or use a hosting provider.
In conclusion, understanding website URLs and domain names is crucial for anyone who wants to create a website. Remember that a website URL consists of the protocol, domain name, and path, while a domain name is the unique name that identifies a website on the internet. When choosing a domain name, make sure it’s easy to remember and spell, relevant to your website’s content, and available for registration.
