Your domain or domain name is simply the name that internet users would type into their address bar.  In this example, the domain name is domainname.com.

Note, the domain name does NOT include the “http://”.  This will be very important later when you are trying to set up your website.  Also note that I did not include the “www” in the domain name.  Some references do not make this distinction, but it is of minor importance to realize that while some websites require the “www” to be typed when looking for their website, it is not required all the time and it is universally expected that a domain name will start out with “www”.  I will leave the “www” discussion alone until we get to defining subdomains.

Your domain name is your address on the internet.  If someone wants to get to your house you give them your street address, if someone wants to go to your website you give them your domain name.  Just like your address is more important to the post office than your name, your domain name is more important to computers than what is on your website or who you are as you run your website.

A domain name can only contain letters and hyphens, no spaces or numbers.