Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A domain name is an address that identifies one or more IP addresses. It serves as an easy-to-remember name for websites instead of using long strings of numbers.
Related terms
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): A URL is the complete web address used to access resources on the internet. It includes the protocol (e.g., http://), domain name, and additional path information if needed.
DNS (Domain Name System): DNS is responsible for translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses so that computers can communicate with each other over networks.
TLD (Top-Level Domain): TLD refers to the last part of a domain name after the dot (.). Examples include .com, .org, .edu, etc.