← Back to catalogue
Published

top-level domain

vr.tr.top-level-domain · thing-q14296

Let an agent describe top-level domains by type, operator and policies, and point to the IANA root zone database, without registering domains.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems INF.MED
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

TLD Which domain.

Label

Name and type.

TLD

Label and type.

  1. Which TLD? provenance
  2. gTLD, ccTLD or other? boundary

Operator

Registry.

Registry operator

Name and source.

  1. Who operates it? provenance
  2. According to the IANA database? provenance
Policy Rules.

Eligibility

Who can register.

Eligibility

Rule.

  1. Who can register names? provenance
  2. Under which policy? provenance

Disputes

Dispute resolution.

Dispute policy

Policy.

  1. Which dispute policy applies, such as UDRP? provenance
  2. Since when? provenance
Technical DNS operation.

Delegation

Root zone.

Delegation

Delegation or retirement status, transition dates and name servers, with the observation time.

  1. When was it delegated? provenance
  2. Which name servers? provenance

Security

DNSSEC.

DNSSEC

Status.

  1. Is it DNSSEC-signed? provenance
  2. Since when? provenance
Special cases Reserved and pseudo TLDs.

Reserved

Special-use names.

Reserved name

RFC.

  1. Is the label reserved? provenance
  2. By which RFC? provenance

Pseudo

Outside the root.

Pseudo TLD

Status.

  1. Is it a pseudo-TLD outside the DNS root? boundary
  2. Who uses it? provenance

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Information and virtual systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
INF
Domain
INF.MED
Other names and narrower kinds
pseudo-top-level domain, generic top-level domain, country code top-level domain, GeoTLD, test top-level domain, unassigned top-level domain, Special-use domain name, internationalized country code top-level domain, sponsored top-level domain

What it is Filled

A domain at the highest level of the Domain Name System hierarchy, directly below the root, such as .com, .org or a country code like .cy; in the public DNS, TLDs are delegated in the root zone by IANA and operated by registries under ICANN policies or national arrangements, while reserved, unassigned and retired labels have no active registry.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent describe top-level domains by type, operator and policies, and point to the IANA root zone database, without registering domains.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • ASCII ccTLDs generally use ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, with exceptions such as .uk and .eu; IDN ccTLDs use separately approved internationalised strings.
  • Generic TLDs include legacy (.com, .net, .org) and new gTLDs from ICANN programmes.
  • Top-level special-use names such as .test, .example, .invalid and .localhost are not delegated (RFC 2606, RFC 6761); a TLD differs from a public suffix such as com.au.

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • register or purchase domains
  • help create deceptive look-alike domains

Only with a human decision

  • registrations, which the user makes

May

  • explain TLDs and point to IANA data

Moral aspects Filled

  • internet governance
  • security

Who is affected

  • registrants
  • internet users

Owners Filled

Steward

the registry operator of each TLD, under IANA delegation

Master systems

  • IANA Root Zone Database

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q32635 - registry parent class

related

  • Domain Name System - hierarchy
  • IANA - root zone management
  • domain name registrar - sales channel
  • pseudo-top-level domain - not in the root zone

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.top-level-domain
  • Wikidata: Q14296 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14296)
  • TLD label: ASCII label, or Unicode U-label with its ASCII A-label (xn--) as in the IANA root zone database

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

A namespace label has no physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • The last label of a domain name, such as .org in wikipedia.org

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • classify TLDs by type
  • find the registry operator in the IANA database
  • explain registration policies in general terms
  • explain IDN TLDs and reserved names

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Name collisions with private namespaces
  • Homograph attacks with IDNs

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • RFC 1591 DNS structure and delegation
  • ICANN policies and registry agreements for gTLDs
  • RFC 6761 special-use domain names

Context of use required Filled

  • Organising the global namespace of domain names.
  • generic top-level domain (gTLD)
  • country-code top-level domain (ccTLD)
  • sponsored TLD
  • infrastructure TLD (.arpa)
  • top-level special-use names
  • IDN TLDs (a representation overlapping gTLDs and ccTLDs)

Sources Filled

  1. Q14296 - identity of the registry item, labels and sitelinks
  2. Top-level domain - general description of the subject
  3. RFC 9499: DNS Terminology - Root-relative TLD definition, IDNA terminology and distinction from public suffixes.
  4. Top-Level Domains - TLD managers, types, active delegations and reserved or retired statuses.
  5. Qualifying top-level domain strings - ASCII ccTLD eligibility, exceptions, IDN ccTLDs, infrastructure and test domains.
  6. Special-Use Domain Names - Special-use names at multiple DNS levels and their governing RFCs.
  7. RFC 6761: Special-Use Domain Names - Special-use designation and handling of reserved names.
  8. RFC 1591: Domain Name System Structure and Delegation - Delegation responsibilities and differing registration structures below TLDs; this RFC is Informational.

Open questions

—

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q14296/spec.json