FAQs and Information About Domains
If you've spent any time studying Web design or how Web pages are shared and stored, then you may have come across the term "domain." A domain is an address typed in and displayed at the top of a traditional Web browser that leads you to a website. As you might have guessed, domains and domain names are vitally important when managing a website. After all, your domain is basically the street address for your site: If the address is confusing or hard to remember, no one will know where to find your house. Maximizing the traffic to your website is essential, and domain management plays a big part. Understanding how domains work and the terms related to domain management is essential for many Web-based jobs.
Q: What is a subdomain?
A: A subdomain is typed in the address bar before the main domain name, almost as a prefix. For example, docs.xyz.com is a subdomain of xyz.com. After you create and register your domain, you are free to create subdomains.
Q: Can I cancel my registration of a domain name?
A: Yes, Indeed, cancellation is possible. However, understand that each domain name service provider establishes a specific time duration, usually yearly increments, during which you own the domain name. You retain ownership for this entire period until it expires. Therefore, before purchasing, thoroughly review the provider's terms to determine if cancellation is an option. Note that many providers do not issue refunds but rather allow the domain registration to lapse.
Q: Can I move my website to a different domain name?
A: Yes, you can move a website anywhere you'd like, whether it's to a different host or a different domain name. However, for the best results, you should hang onto your old domain name and redirect it to the new one so that visitors to your old domain will still be able to find you.
Q: Can I sell a domain name?
A: Absolutely you can. Once you purchase a domain name, you own it for as long as you've purchased the rights to it. In fact, there is a large industry where people purchase domain names hoping that they'll be in demand in the future and they can be resold for a profit.
Q: What is domain privacy? Do I need it?
A: When you purchase a domain name, you are required to provide personal information such as your email address and phone number. This information is made publicly available. However, you can add domain privacy to your domain purchase, which will hide your personal information from others and instead display proxy information. Domain privacy is recommended but not necessary when you purchase a domain name. As with all domain-related purchases, the terms and conditions will depend on the company you purchase from. Be sure to read the fine print.
Q: Can I find out who owns a domain name?
A: Whois is a Web service that allows you to search domain names and see if they are registered and to whom. However, if they've added domain privacy, you'll only see the proxy information.
Q: Can I buy more than one domain name?
A: Yes. You can purchase as many domain names as you'd like.
Q: What is WWW? Is it a part of domain names?
A: WWW stands for World Wide Web. In the early days of the Internet, the "www" was necessary to tell your browser that you wanted to view a Web page, but today, it's not usually needed.
Q: What is the difference between a URL and a domain name?
A: The domain name is simply the address of the website itself, or the name that appears before the .com. A URL, or uniform resource locator, is the full Web address of a specific page of a website. A URL will contain the domain name within it.
Q: What is HTTP and HTTPS?
A: HTTP is a protocol that defines how information is sent to and from computers on the Internet. It stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol and was developed in the early days of the internet. HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, a version of HTTP that also uses encryption to keep data safe. HTTPS is now the standard for most websites, as it provides greater security than standard HTTP.
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