With time passing, technology is becoming more and more advance. So the people want to stay updated as much as they can. With more people taking an interest in the field of technology, it is essential for them to know about the basics things about computer and understand the differences between them. A domain name and a URL are two basic terms used in computer networking.
A domain name addresses a particular website that a person has to type in the browser’s URL bar to visit that website. There are millions of websites globally, so each one of them needs a unique name to be identified by the users. A domain name works with a system called a domain name system. this system includes top-level domain, DNS caching and authoritative DNS server.
URL stands for a uniform resource locator. a URL tells a user the location of a web resource. It is also used for transferring the files, emails and database access. It is displayed on the address bar of its page. It consists of various features such as protocols like HTTP, FTP and multiple parameters. It also includes a domain name, path port, etc. URL are usually of two types, i.e. absolute URL and relative URL.
Domain Name vs URL
The main difference between domain name and URL is that a domain name comes under URL. A domain name is the address of a website whereas URL is a reference to the location of a web resource.
Comparison Table Between Domain Name and URL
| Parameters of Comparison | Domain name | URL |
| Definition | It is defined as the address of a website. | It specifies the web resource’s location on a computer network. |
| Uses | It is used to find a particular website. | It is used to refer a user to a specific web resource. |
| Subdivisions | A top-level domain, DNS caching and authoritative DNS server. | It consists of features like parameters, port, protocols, domain, etc. |
| First used | 15 March 1985. | 1994. |
| Example | maths.algebra.first.edu | http://mathsfirst.com |
What is Domain Name?
The domain name is described as the name or address that a person types on the browser URL bar to visit a particular website. We can narrate it as an address of a website. The internet is full of various websites. It is a big network, so every website it contains needs a unique name or address to be identified among millions of other websites.
The working of a domain name includes a whole system known as the domain name system. This system provides a translation between the hostname and the IP address. These hostnames are managed by the companies hosting the websites. The domain name system or DNS consists of various features that work together to run the whole system.
The DNS includes top-level domain, DNS caching and authoritative DNS server. The DNS caching saves the domain names that are mostly used by a particular user so that they don’t have to go through the whole process again. Top-level domain or TLD contains .org, .com, .edu and all the top-level country domains like .in, etc.
The authoritative server includes all IP addresses of the organisation servers. In brief, to create a website, a person needs to have a domain name for that website.
What is URL?
URL stands for uniform resource locator. It is used to refer a user to a web resource. It specifies the location of the web resource on a computer network. We can also use URL for transferring files, database access, email, etc. The URL of every web page is displayed on that web page’s address bar.
The resources pointed by the URL can be a document, HTML page, image, video, etc. However, these resources are handled by the web servers, so the owners of these web servers are responsible for managing the URL of the web pages. A user can type a URL in the browser’s address bar to visit a particular web page.
A URL is composed of various parts like protocols, domain name, port, path link, parameters, etc. it includes HTTP, mailto and FTP protocols. A protocol helps in the exchange or transfer of data between computers. It also consists of the port. A port is a technical “gate” that is used to access the resources.
There are two types of URL, i.e. an absolute URL and a relative URL. An absolute URL is the one that a user types in the browser address bar. It does not have the protocols or port written in it. In contrast, a relative URL is the one that a user writes within a document. In this case, the browser is already aware of such URLs.
Main Differences Between Domain Name and URL
- A domain name is defined as a website’s address whereas a URL or uniform resource locator specifies the web resource’s location on a computer network.
- A domain name is used to find a particular website, whereas a URL is used to refer a user to a specific web resource. A domain name comes under URL.
- Domain name uses a complete system for its function called a domain name system. it includes top-level domain, DNS caching and authoritative DNS server. In contrast, URL consists of features like parameters, port, protocols, domain, etc.
- Example of a domain name is project.bluered.feature.edu. whereas ab example of a URL is http://exampleurl.com
- The first-ever domain name was registered on 15 March 1985. on the other hand, a URL was a first time defined by Tim Berners-Lee in 1994.
Conclusion
A URL tells a user the location of a web resource and stands for uniform resource locator. one can also use it for transferring the files, emails and database access. In contrast, a domain name is an address of a particular website that a person has to type in the browser’s URL bar to visit that website.
A domain name works with a system called a domain name system that includes the top-level domain, DNS caching and authoritative DNS server. On the other hand, URL consists of various components such as protocols, parameters, domain name, path port, etc.
URL are usually of two types, i.e. absolute URL and relative URL. a complete URL is the one that a user types in the browser’s address bar. In contrast, the relative URL is the one that a user writes within a document. However, a domain name does not have any such types.
References
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-662-48683-2_27
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7024424/