TLD Notes

Field Guide to Domains

Field Guide to Domains — A TLD Explorer

This site is an observational record and does not endorse any specific domain.

34 results
.comClassical Era

The default choice across all industries. Short names are nearly exhausted, and premium aftermarket trading is the norm.

StandardHighest TrustSEO Advantage
95
.aiAI Specialization Era

Anguilla's ccTLD surged with the AI boom. Now the first choice for AI companies.

AI SymbolPrice SurgingCutting Edge
88
.ioccTLD Repurposing Era

The ccTLD of the British Indian Ocean Territory, but its I/O association fueled explosive adoption in tech.

Tech StapleSomewhat SaturatedI/O Association
82
.jpClassical Era

The general-purpose JP domain for the Japanese market. Available to individuals. A staple for domestic services.

DomesticReassuringVersatile
68
.co.jpClassical Era

Restricted to Japanese corporations. One domain per organization. The strongest trust signal in Japan.

Corp OnlyHighest TrustJapan
62
.devNew gTLD Diversification

Managed by Google Registry. HSTS-required, declaring a security stance at the domain level.

DeveloperHTTPS RequiredGoogle Managed
58
.appNew gTLD Diversification

Managed by Google Registry. Ideal for mobile/web app landing pages.

AppHTTPS RequiredModern
53
.coccTLD Repurposing Era

Colombia's ccTLD, but globally recognized as shorthand for 'company.'

Company AssociationShortGlobal
52
.netClassical Era

A long-standing alternative to .com, traditionally associated with network infrastructure.

VeteranTech-Leaning.com Alternative
50
.orgClassical Era

The go-to for nonprofits, OSS projects, and educational institutions. A signal of non-commercial intent.

NonprofitTrustworthyOSS
48
.xyzNew gTLD Diversification

Gained attention from Alphabet's adoption (abc.xyz). Characterized by its meaningless universality.

VersatileAdopted by AlphabetFree
44
.ggccTLD Repurposing Era

Guernsey's ccTLD. Fully adopted by gaming culture as 'Good Game.'

Gaming CultureGGYouth-Oriented
42
.meccTLD Repurposing Era

Montenegro's ccTLD. Popular for personal sites and portfolios thanks to its English pronoun meaning.

Personal BrandFriendlyDomain Hack
40
.tvccTLD Repurposing Era

Tuvalu's ccTLD. A staple for television, video, and live streaming services.

VideoStreamingVisual
35
.lyccTLD Repurposing Era

Libya's ccTLD. Functions as the English adverb suffix '-ly', making it prime territory for domain hacks. bit.ly is the most prominent example.

URL ShortenerDomain HackShort
35
.techNew gTLD Diversification

A straightforward tech TLD. Common for conferences and tech media.

StraightforwardConferenceObvious
32
.fmccTLD Repurposing Era

Federated States of Micronesia's ccTLD. Its match with the FM radio abbreviation makes it a natural fit for music, podcast, and audio services.

MusicPodcastDomain Hack
30
.shopNew gTLD Diversification

A new gTLD for e-commerce. Registry operated by GMO, giving it stronger presence in the Japanese market. Occupies the same ecological niche as .store.

E-CommerceShopRetail
30
.designNew gTLD Diversification

Tailored for designers and creative studios. Brand + .design is an elegant form.

DesignerNicheEasy to Get
28
.storeNew gTLD Diversification

For e-commerce and online stores. Explicitly signals commercial intent.

E-CommerceShopRetail
27
.soccTLD Repurposing Era

Somalia's ccTLD. The English word 'so' enables catchy, short domain hacks.

Domain HackShortEasy to Get
25
.onlineNew gTLD Diversification

A generic new gTLD. The universality of "online" makes it broadly applicable, but it lacks distinctiveness. One of many .com alternatives.

Generic Web.com AlternativeEasy to Get
25
.toccTLD Repurposing Era

Kingdom of Tonga's ccTLD. Matches the English preposition 'to', lending itself to directional domain hacks — every domain becomes an invitation.

URL ShortenerDomain HackShort
22
.studioNew gTLD Diversification

For studios, workshops, and creative teams. Evokes a physical sense of place.

StudioAtelierSpatial
22
.siteNew gTLD Diversification

A new gTLD for websites in general. Often used for portfolios and landing pages. Distinguished by its self-referential nature.

Generic Web.com AlternativeEasy to Get
22
.shccTLD Repurposing Era

Saint Helena's ccTLD. Popular among developers for its shell script (.sh) association.

ShellDeveloperCLI Tool
20
.ccccTLD Repurposing Era

Cocos Islands' ccTLD, now entirely detached from geography. Valued for its two-letter brevity and availability as a cheap .com alternative.

ShortVersatileEasy to Get
20
.blogNew gTLD Diversification

A new gTLD for blogs and media. Operated by Automattic (WordPress.com parent). The purpose is embedded in the name itself.

BlogCasualEasy to Get
20
.pageNew gTLD Diversification

Managed by Google Registry. For personal pages and document publishing. HTTPS required.

PageDocumentGoogle Managed
18
.clubNew gTLD Diversification

A new gTLD for communities and fan clubs. Carries a "members-only" connotation, popular in hobby and gaming communities.

CommunityCasualEasy to Get
18
.ngoNew gTLD Diversification

A verified-only TLD operated by Public Interest Registry (the same PIR behind .org), exclusively for NGOs. Registration requires vetting of actual NGO activity. Where .org offers an "open nonprofit brand," .ngo offers a "gated proof of legitimacy."

NonprofitTrustworthyNiche
15
.fyiNew gTLD Diversification

For Your Information. Ideal for casual blogging and knowledge sharing.

Info SharingCasualUnique
12
.worldNew gTLD Diversification

A new gTLD suited for global initiatives and nonprofits. Carries a grand meaning, though actual adoption remains modest.

GlobalEasy to GetNiche
12
.funNew gTLD Diversification

A new gTLD for entertainment, gaming, and hobby sites. Puts playfulness front and center, though unsuitable for business contexts.

EntertainmentCasualEasy to Get
10