Top-Level Domains (TLDs)

TLD stands for Top-Level Domain. It’s the part after the dot — the .com in RoomAI.com and the .jobs in startup.jobs. You’ve probably heard it called the “extension.”

There are over 1,500 different TLDs out there. You can browse the full list at getdomainbook.com/resources/tlds. But you don’t need to know all of them — just the categories that matter when you’re picking one.

Generic TLDs

These are the ones you see everywhere: .com, .org, .net, .info. They’re open to anyone, no restrictions, no surprises. This is also where you’ll find newer options like .xyz, .link, and .domains.

A word of caution on the newer ones: some come with strings attached. For example, websites on .new must use HTTPS and let users create something — violate that and your domain can be taken away. Others have steep renewal fees for short or dictionary-word domains. I once owned yo.xyz — a two-letter domain classified as premium by the .xyz registry — and it cost nearly $3,000 a year to renew. And the price kept going up, so eventually I had to let it go.

Country code TLDs

These are tied to a specific country: .us for the United States, .uk for the United Kingdom, .nl for the Netherlands, and so on. Some can only be registered by residents or citizens of that country. There are trustee services that register on your behalf, but consider whether you want to risk building your business on top of that.

Keep in mind the SEO implications too — search engines may assume your site targets that country’s audience. More on that in Search Engine Optimization (SEO).