How does domain work?

How does domain work?

As we mentioned earlier, every website has a unique, complex string of numbers and letters known as an IP address, which computers use to give a web address to an end user. While people 
use words, letters, and numbers to navigate to a specific website, the internet uses IP addresses to determine the location of each web page.

When you type the domain name or URL you want to visit, your web browser looks up the website's address in the domain name system (DNS). This domain name system is a large database 
that works similar to a phone book, but exists to find IP addresses and connect users to relevant websites.

The process basically works like this:

1. A user enters the domain they want to visit in the browser.
2. The web browser sends a request to DNS for the URL.
3. If the domain name is not found on a DNS server, the request is moved to the next DNS server and continues until the request is found.
4. The DNS server with the IP address corresponding to the website returns this address to the user's web browser.
5. The user's browser receives data about the site from the server hosting the domain.
6. The received data is converted and rendered as the expected web page.

If we were required to remember the IP addresses of any website we wanted to visit, it would be overwhelming and burdensome. It would be like trying to memorize the phone numbers 
of all your contacts and needing to enter the entire number into your phone every time you want to call or text that person.

However, thanks to DNS, users only need to remember the domain name. DNS resolution occurs within milliseconds; therefore the user never notices that the transaction has occurred.

What is the difference between domain and website?

Many people unintentionally confuse domain and website, but these two terms are quite different from each other in the context of the internet. Although domain and website are closely 
related, they are not the same and you need to know the difference between them.

What is a website?

A website lives on the domain and is the combination of files and coding language on the backend that creates the experience internet users have on the frontend. In other words, your 
website is what a user sees when they visit your domain and specific URLs within your domain.

Difference between website and domain

Brands often use their websites and domains in the same call to action – “Visit our website at XYZ.com!” This type of marketing communication may be the reason why many people confuse 
the terms website and domain.

The main difference between a website and a domain is their intended use.

Domain is the string of characters that users type into their web browsers to access your website. To explain with an example, you can think of the domain as your home address and the 
website as your physical home. The address helps locate your home, but features such as style, size and layout can vary greatly from one home to another.

What is the difference between domain and web hosting?

If you are interested in domains, you may have heard of the concept of hosting. Then you may be wondering what domain and hosting are and what their differences are. If we continue with 
the house and address example we gave above for the website; If your domain is your home address and your website is your home, we can say that hosting is the land on which you build 
your house.

To put it more technically: in order to host your website on the internet, you need machines that are constantly connected to the internet, called servers. Hosting also refers to the service 
you receive from these servers. Hosting companies such as NoktaCloud give you space on these servers to make your website accessible. There are different hosting services you can get 
depending on the size, needs and structure of your website.

What is DNS?

DNS (Domain Name System) or domain name system is a technical process in which domains (NoktaCloud.com.tr) are translated into relevant Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (188.132.243.77). 
As we mentioned before, every website has a complex string of numbers and letters known as its IP address. Computers use these IP addresses to deliver websites to the end user. While people 
use words, letters and numbers to reach a specific website, the internet uses IP addresses to determine the location of a web page.

The domain name system (DNS) is a database of domain names and IP addresses.

When you type the domain name or URL you want to visit, DNS works in the background to find the correct address of the site and connects you to the website.

How does DNS work?

You can think of DNS like the phone book on your smartphone. When you say the name of the person you want to call or start typing on your phone, something surprising happens – your 
phone calls the person you want! This is not magic, of course, but a complex process that translates inputs into the desired output for the end user. DNS works the same way with web 
addresses.

Just as everyone has a unique phone, each website has a unique domain and IP address.

Why is DNS important?

People and machines communicate in different ways. While we prefer letters and words, machines use numbers to communicate. Fortunately, the internet is designed to accommodate these 
different preferences thanks to DNS.

DNS is important because it makes the internet more efficient.

Using the internet would be very difficult and troublesome if we had to remember the IP addresses of all the websites we wanted to visit. However, thanks to DNS, internet users only need 
to remember the domain.

How to buy a domain?

Now that we have touched on topics such as what is a domain and how it differs from URL, website and web hosting, it is time to talk about how to buy a domain. There are many ways to 
obtain registration rights for a domain, including:

Expired or getting a new domain

The easiest way to buy domain names is to choose a completely new domain or find an expired domain. There are many benefits to buying a new or expired domain. They are easy to use, 
so you can easily buy them from any registrar that sells that extension and start using them in minutes. New or expired domains are also the most cost-effective options.

Buying a domain you already own or register

Another way to get a domain is to buy the rights to that domain from its current owner. There are many marketplaces on the internet that enable sales from one domain owner to another. 
In fact, most people buy domains with the aim of selling them at a profit. If you're looking to purchase a domain that belongs to someone else, most registrars also have services to help you 
make this transaction easier.

Buying a domain from auction

Just like buying an owned or registered domain, you can also get your perfect domain name via auction. When a domain expires or the owner wants to initiate a competitive bid, it can be put 
up for auction. Although there are several ways to obtain a domain, if you want to maintain your ownership rights over the domain in question, you need to register it and maintain good 
relations with your domain registrar.