Domains

A domain name is the human-readable address of something on the internet. It is how we find sites without memorizing IP addresses. This page covers the basics, what endings like .com, .ai, .io, and .xyz mean, and what companies like Cloudflare and Squarespace actually do in the domain stack.

What the parts mean

Top-level domain (TLD): The last part, like .com or .ai
Second-level domain: The name before it, like openmud in openmud.ai
Subdomain: Anything in front, like docs.openmud.ai

So yes, .xyz is a real domain ending, but it is not a full domain by itself. It is the TLD. The full domain includes the name plus the TLD, such as block.xyz.

What does .com mean?

.com originally stood for "commercial." It is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) and became the default business ending on the web. The first .com domain was symbolics.com, registered in 1985.

Today .com does not enforce a strict "commercial only" rule. It is simply the most recognized and most trusted default in many markets.

Popular endings right now

.com

A gTLD associated with mainstream businesses and broad trust.

.ai

Officially the country-code TLD (ccTLD) for Anguilla. In practice, it became very popular with AI companies because the suffix naturally matches the "AI" acronym.

.io

Officially the ccTLD for the British Indian Ocean Territory. In startup culture, it became associated with developer tools and software products.

.xyz

A gTLD launched in 2014 and open to anyone. It is often used by modern internet brands and projects that want a shorter, less traditional naming style.

Who does what in domains

ICANN / IANA: Coordinate the global DNS root and TLD delegation
Registry: Operates a TLD (for example, the registry behind .com)
Registrar: Sells domain registrations to users and companies
DNS provider: Hosts DNS records that point the domain to your services

Cloudflare

Cloudflare can act as a registrar and as an authoritative DNS provider. It is also commonly used as a reverse proxy, CDN, and security layer in front of web traffic.

Squarespace

Squarespace is a website platform that also provides domain registration and management. It expanded its registrar footprint through the Google Domains acquisition process announced in 2023.

Short timeline

Before DNS: Hostnames were tracked in centralized host files
1983-1984: DNS design and early implementation
1985: Original TLD era begins, including .com
1985: symbolics.com becomes the first registered .com
2010s: Expansion of newer gTLDs like .xyz
2020s: Strong growth in branded use of .ai and ongoing use of .io

Practical naming notes

If trust and familiarity matter most, .com is still hard to beat
If your brand is strongly AI-native, .ai can be a good signal
If your audience is developer-heavy, .io is common and recognizable
If you want a modern or unconventional brand, .xyz is flexible