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.

.net

Classical Era (–2010)

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

Observer's Note

Once a peer to .com, now a quiet veteran holding its ground. Still deeply rooted in the gaming industry.

Vibe Tags

Veteran Tech-Leaning .com Alternative

Observed Specimens

Domain choices shown here reflect each organization's own decisions and are not endorsements by this site.

behance.net Behance (Adobe)
Design / Creative

Creative portfolio platform.

Kept .net even under Adobe. The "network" meaning works — it's a network of creatives.

battle.net Blizzard Entertainment
Gaming / Entertainment

Blizzard's gaming platform.

Online since 1996. Battle + .net perfectly conveys online multiplayer combat.

slideshare.net SlideShare (Scribd)
Media / Publishing

Presentation sharing platform.

.net's "network" feel suits a knowledge-sharing platform. A legacy domain carried through the LinkedIn era.

speedtest.net Ookla
SaaS / Web Services

Internet connection speed testing service.

speed + test + .net. A rare case where the TLD perfectly matches the purpose — measuring the net.

sourceforge.net SourceForge
Dev Tools / OSS

Open source software hosting. A veteran predating GitHub.

A symbolic early-2000s choice of .net as an OSS "network." A relic of pre-GitHub era.

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Observed Habitats

SaaS / Web Services Dev Tools / OSS Gaming / Entertainment

Prevalence

50

⚠ Caution

Risk of confusion with .com. Can cause misdirected emails.

Snapshot: 2025-12