TLD — Top-Level Domain, .com, .ru, .io zones

Enterno.io Editorial Team

What is a TLD

By Anatoly Oshmanovsky · Updated Apr 17, 2026

Key idea:

TLD (Top-Level Domain) is the rightmost part of a domain name (.com in example.com, .ru in enterno.ru). Managed by ICANN. Types: gTLD (generic — .com, .org, .net), ccTLD (country-code — .ru, .de, .uk), sTLD (sponsored — .gov, .edu), new gTLD (.io, .tech, .shop — post-2013). TLD choice affects price, SEO and brand perception.

Below: details, example, related terms, FAQ.

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Details

gTLD: .com, .org, .net, .info — oldest, price $10-15/year
ccTLD: .ru (₽189/year via reg.ru), .uk, .de — tied to a country
new gTLD: .io ($40/year), .tech ($15), .shop ($3 first year + $40 renewal)
.io — originally ccTLD for British Indian Ocean Territory, became tech-popular
sTLD: .gov (US gov only), .edu (US accredited), .mil — restricted registration

Example

example.com → .com is TLD
enterno.ru → .ru is TLD
api.enterno.io → .io is TLD (enterno is 2LD, api is 3LD)

Related Terms

A / AAAAIPv4 and IPv6 host addresses

MX RecordsDomain mail servers

TXT / SPFVerification & anti-spoofing

NS / SOAName servers & zone authority

Why teams trust us

DNS record types

SPF+DKIM

email protection

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DNS response

check regions

How it works

Enter domain

Select record type

Get DNS response

What are DNS Records?

DNS (Domain Name System) translates domain names into IP addresses. DNS records are instructions that define where to route traffic, email, and how to verify domainownership.

Complete Lookup

Query all record types — A, AAAA, MX, NS, TXT, CNAME, SOA — in a single request.

Instant Results

Direct queries to authoritative servers. Results in milliseconds, no caching.

Security Checks

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC analysis to evaluate email protection against spoofing and phishing.

Export & History

Save check results. Compare DNS records before and after registrar changes.

Who uses this

DevOps

DNS check after deploy

Email marketers

SPF/DKIM/DMARC audit

SEO

DNS config audit

Sysadmins

DNS zone control

Common Mistakes

❌

Missing SPF recordWithout SPF, emails may land in spam. Add a v=spf1 TXT record.

❌

Single NS serverIf the only NS fails, the domain becomes unreachable. Use at least 2 NS servers.

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CNAME conflicting with other recordsCNAME cannot coexist with MX or TXT on the same name — this violates RFC.

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TTL set too highWith 86400s TTL, DNS changes take a full day. Lower TTL to 300 before migrations.

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Missing PTR recordMail servers check PTR. Without it, emails may be rejected.

Best Practices

✓

Set up SPF + DKIM + DMARCThe trio of records that protects your email from spoofing and improves deliverability.

✓

Use 2+ NS serversDistribute NS servers across different networks for redundancy.

✓

Lower TTL before migrationSet TTL to 300 at least 24-48 hours before an IP change for fast propagation.

✓

Verify DNS after changesAfter updating records, confirm changes propagated correctly and no errors remain.

✓

Add a CAA recordCAA restricts which Certificate Authorities can issue SSL certificates for your domain.

Get more with a free account

DNS check history, API keys and DNS change monitoring.

Learn more

How-to

Glossary

Research

Alternatives

Frequently Asked Questions

Does TLD affect SEO?

Indirectly. .com slightly stronger for global SEO, ccTLD (.ru) — for geo-targeting in Russia. Google officially: "does not matter if content and links are good".

What are 2LD and 3LD?

Second-level domain — before TLD (example in example.com). Third-level domain — subdomain (api in api.example.com).

Why is .io so popular?

Short, plays on input/output in tech. In 2024 began an ICANN transition following UK handover of the Chagos Islands.