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Preston Pham
Preston Pham

Posted on • Originally published at Medium on

Unveiling the Fully Qualified Domain Name of the Internet

Navigating through the expansive Internet can be like finding one’s way through a bustling city, complete with intricate addresses and postal codes. At the heart of this digital address system lies the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN). Comprising the host name, first-level domain name, and top-level domain name, the FQDN establishes a hierarchical framework similar to physical addresses.

Structure of a FQDN

The structure of an FQDN follows a specific pattern:

<host_name>.<first_level_domain_name>.<top_level_domain_name>
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This well-defined structure allows easy identification and classification of web resources, analogous to how physical addresses are organized.

The Intention

The intentional design of the FQDN structure aims to bring order and logic to web resource naming and organization. By hierarchically segmenting the domain names, the FQDN enables efficient management and smooth navigation of the digital landscape.

An Example: mail.google.com

Taking the example of “mail.google.com”, we can observe the FQDN’s components in action.

  • “mail” signifies the host name
  • “google” represents the first-level domain name
  • and “com” indicates the top-level domain

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