What is a domain name?
A domain name is the human-readable label for a site, such as webji.in, which DNS maps to a server address. It does not store your pages. It does not include a folder path or a file name. You register it for a fixed term in INR, and you renew that term or the registry can release the name.
What are the parts of a domain (SLD, TLD, subdomain)?
Read the name from the right. The TLD is the ending, such as .in or .com, and what a TLD is separates country endings from generic ones. The second-level label is the word you choose, such as webji in webji.in. A label further left, such as shop.webji.in, is what a subdomain is.
| Part | Example | Role |
|---|---|---|
| TLD | .in or .com | The ending. Country endings and generic endings are different kinds. |
| Second-level label | webji in webji.in | The word you register under that ending. |
| Subdomain | shop.webji.in | A label on the left. It is not a second registration by default. |
| Full name | www.webji.in | www is itself a subdomain, not a requirement of every site. |
How do a domain, a URL, a website and hosting differ?
A domain is the registered name only. A URL is one full address, with the scheme and a path. A website is the pages published at that name. Hosting stores those pages and answers the visit. URL versus domain name covers the address. The difference between domain and hosting covers the storage.
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| Domain | The registered name, such as webji.in. |
| URL | One full address, including https and a path. |
| Website | The pages published at the name. |
| Hosting | The service that stores those pages and answers the visit. |
The two comparison articles own the longer write-ups. This table is only the map.
How does a domain point to a website (DNS)?
A domain points at a website because DNS records at your nameservers publish where the name should go. An A record holds an IPv4 address. A CNAME points one name at another name. The host supplies the values, and resolvers pick them up after the change. The system behind those records is what DNS is.
| Record | What you put in it |
|---|---|
| Nameservers | Where the DNS for this domain is hosted. Set at the registrar. |
| A | An IPv4 address for the host. |
| CNAME | Another name that this label should follow. |
Change the record the host tells you to change, then wait for resolvers to pick it up. This page does not follow the packet from the resolver to the server.
How much does a domain cost in India and what happens at renewal?
You pay in INR for a term, often a year, and the renewal rate can differ from the first year. The amount depends on the extension, and a premium word costs more than the standard name. Those figures stay on the domain price list. They are not copied here. 18% GST is added on the invoice.
| Question | What to expect |
|---|---|
| What do you pay for? | A fixed term, often a year or more, billed in INR. |
| Is renewal the same as year one? | Not always. The renewal rate can differ. Read it on the price list before you buy. |
| Why do two names differ? | The extension differs, and a premium word costs more than the standard name. |
| What if you do not renew? | The name can expire and later be registered by someone else. |
| GST | 18% GST is added on the invoice. |
How do I check and register a name?
Search the exact spelling before you print it on a board or a pack. If it is free, register it with true contact details and a mailbox you read, because renewal mail goes there. Use the domain availability check for that search. Pay in INR. 18% GST is added on the invoice. Turn renewal on.
- Search the exact spelling, including the ending you want.
- If it is free, register it to contact details that are true.
- Use a mailbox you read. Renewal notices go there.
- Pay in INR. 18% GST is added on the invoice.
- Turn renewal on, then point DNS at the host when the site is ready.