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How do domain names work?

A domain name is your site's readable address (example.com), which you rent from a registrar, usually for around $10 to $15 a year. It points, via DNS, to wherever your site is hosted. You don't own it forever, you lease it, so it must be renewed to keep it.

The part after the dot (.com, .in, .org) is the extension. Some carry meaning or trust (.com is the default expectation, .in signals India), and short, memorable names are more valuable. A name someone else already holds may be for sale, sometimes at a high price.

Two rules save trouble: register the domain in your own account so you keep control, and enable auto-renew so it doesn't lapse. A lapsed domain can be snapped up by someone else, and getting it back can be difficult or costly.

Updated July 2026

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