What Is a Domain Name? How to Register One, and .com vs .com.tr

A domain name is your website's address on the internet: the name you type into a browser, such as "grapyweb.com". Computers find each other using numbers called IP addresses; a domain name lets you use a memorable name instead. Behind the scenes, DNS (the Domain Name System) translates the name into the IP address of the server that hosts the site.

This article explains how domain names work, how to register one, the difference between .com and .com.tr under the current .tr rules, domain vs hosting, how to choose a good name and the issue that causes the most trouble: whose name the domain is registered in.

How does a domain name work?

A domain name is made of parts separated by dots and is read from right to left:

• Extension (TLD): the rightmost part, such as ".com", ".org" or ".tr".
• Second level: the name to the left of the extension, "grapyweb" in "grapyweb.com".
• Subdomain: a part added to the left, "blog" in "blog.example.com". It is not bought separately; the owner can create as many as they like.

".com.tr" has two layers: ".tr" is the country extension and ".com" is the commercial category below it. So "example.com.tr" and "example.com" are two entirely separate domains, registered separately.

When you type an address, the browser asks DNS servers "what is the IP address for this name?", gets the answer and requests the page from that server. The DNS settings in your registrar's panel decide which server your domain points to. Where your email is delivered is managed in the same place (MX records).

Types of extension

.com or .com.tr?

This is the question Turkish businesses ask most. First, the current rules.

The current situation for .tr domains: since 2022, .tr domains have been allocated through TRABIS (the .tr Network Information System) via accredited registrars. According to the official TRABIS website, .com.tr names are now allocated without documents on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority set by the time the application reaches TRABIS. So you no longer need a trademark certificate, trade registry gazette or tax certificate to register a .com.tr. The details on the application must still be complete and accurate; if they are found to be false, the allocation can be cancelled.

One more update: Law No. 7590, published in the Official Gazette on 31 July 2026, transferred authority over internet domain names from the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) to the Cyber Security Directorate (TRABIS, About page). For you, the process has not changed: registrations still go through accredited registrars.

A few more TRABIS rules that matter to owners:

• .tr domains are allocated for a minimum of one and a maximum of five years at a time.
• Registrars must notify you by email at least three months before expiry.
• Names may only contain the letters a-z, digits and hyphens, must be 2-63 characters long and cannot start or end with a hyphen.
• Under Article 34 of Electronic Communications Law No. 5809, domain names cannot be seized by creditors.

Which should you choose?

Our practical advice: if you sell to customers in Türkiye, register both, make one the main address and 301-redirect the other to it. If you are a hotel, tour operator or estate agent in Antalya serving foreign guests, .com as the main address usually feels more natural.

Domain vs hosting

The two are often sold in one package, which is why they get confused.

You can change the building while keeping the address: it is possible to keep your domain with one company and move your site to another server. We cover hosting types and how to choose in how to choose web hosting. Once the domain and server are in place, you also need an SSL certificate so the address opens securely over "https"; see what is an SSL certificate.

How to register a domain, step by step

1. Make a shortlist. Write three to five options that include your brand and, if useful, your sector or city.
2. Check availability. Use a registrar's search box, or for .tr names the TRABIS domain lookup.
3. Check for trademark conflicts. A name that contains someone else's registered trademark carries a risk of disputes and cancellation. The Turkish Patent and Trademark Office's trademark search is a good first check.
4. Choose a registrar. Compare the renewal price (not the first-year discount), the control panel, DNS management and support. For .com.tr, the company must be a TRABIS-accredited registrar or one of its resellers.
5. Enter the registrant details correctly. Unless it is for personal use, register the domain in your company's name with a permanent company email address.
6. Set the term and auto-renewal. A multi-year registration and auto-renewal reduce the risk of forgetting.
7. Turn on security settings. Enable the transfer lock and two-factor authentication on your account.
8. Point the DNS. Connect the domain to your hosting server and your email service.

How to choose a good domain name

• Keep it short and easy to say. It should be spelled correctly after hearing it once on the phone.
• Avoid Turkish characters. Addresses with "ş, ğ, ı, ü" cause problems in typing and in email addresses. Use "gunes" rather than "güneş".
• Avoid hyphens and numbers unless necessary. Names like "antalya-car-hire-24" are hard to remember and easy to get wrong when spoken.
• Match your brand. If the name on your sign matches your domain, customers can guess it.
• Do not stuff keywords. A keyword in the domain does not decide rankings on its own; a name that reflects your brand is worth more in the long run.
• Think about common misspellings. If your name is often misspelled, consider registering the misspelling and redirecting it.
• Keep it consistent with social handles. If the same name is free on Instagram and elsewhere, you get a consistent presence.

The biggest risk: a domain registered to the agency or an employee

The problem we have run into most over the years is not technical; it is ownership. The story usually goes like this: the firm that built the site registers the domain in its own account and its own name. Years later the relationship ends, or the firm closes, and the business discovers that day that the domain is not theirs. The same happens when an employee registers the domain with a personal email address and later leaves.

The consequences are serious: you cannot move your site, your email is in someone else's hands, and if the domain is not renewed it lapses and someone else can register it. Years of Google rankings and the address your customers know are lost.

To protect yourself:

• [ ] Does your registrar's panel list your company as the registrant?
• [ ] Is the registrant email a permanent company address, not an employee's personal one?
• [ ] Can you log in to the registrar's panel with your own username and password?
• [ ] Can you get the transfer (EPP/auth) code when you ask for it?
• [ ] Do you know the expiry date, and is auto-renewal on?
• [ ] Does your contract say the domain belongs to you and will be handed over on request?

If the answer to any of these is "no" or "I don't know", ask the company that built your site, in writing, for the registrant details and the transfer code. If you want to move the domain to another registrar, we explain the steps in how to transfer a domain.

At Grapyweb we always register domains in our client's or their company's name, and we hand over the transfer code whenever asked. The domain, hosting and SSL are included in the package price for the first year.

What happens when a domain expires?

Missing a renewal is more common than you might think, because reminder emails often go to an address nobody reads any more.

For .com and other generic extensions: under ICANN's Expired Registration Recovery Policy, registrars must send at least two reminders, roughly one month and one week before expiry. Once the name expires, the website and email stop working. You can renew normally during a grace period that varies by registrar. After the domain is deleted, a 30-day Redemption Grace Period begins, during which the name can usually be restored for a fee higher than normal. After that, anyone can register it.

For .tr extensions: the registrar must notify you at least three months before expiry. Renewal has to be done in that window; after that, the name can be reopened for allocation. TRABIS publishes a list of names reopened for registration.

Some people watch for expired domains, register them immediately and then try to sell them back at a high price. The simplest protection is to turn on auto-renewal, use a permanent company email for the registration and put the expiry date in your calendar. If you pay for maintenance, tracking domain and SSL expiry dates should be part of it; on our maintenance and hosting service it is standard.

Common mistakes

• Registering the domain in the name of the agency or an employee.
• Using a personal or abandoned email address for the registration.
• Looking at the first-year discount without asking about the renewal price.
• Registering .com and leaving .com.tr free, only for a competitor or a reseller to take it.
• Publishing the same site separately on both extensions (duplicate content instead of a redirect, which also muddles your SEO).
• Leaving the transfer lock and two-factor authentication switched off.
• Not knowing the expiry date.