A domain name is the human-readable address of a website, like google.com or wikipedia.org. It helps people reach a site without typing a long numeric IP address, and it is part of a web address or email address.

Simple idea

Think of it like a street address for a house. The domain name tells the internet where to find a website, while the DNS system matches that name to the website’s IP address.

Example

  • example.com is a domain name.
  • mail.example.com is a subdomain of that domain.

Domain vs URL

A domain name is only one part of a full web address. A URL includes the domain name plus extra details like the page path, such as https://example.com/about.

Why it matters

  • Easier to remember than numbers.
  • Used to reach websites.
  • Can also be used for email and other internet services.

In short, a domain name is the website’s name and address on the internet, designed to be easy for people to use.