{"id":8252,"date":"2024-03-13T03:48:04","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T08:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.atom.com\/blog\/?p=8252"},"modified":"2024-03-13T03:48:06","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T08:48:06","slug":"fqdn-fully-qualified-domain-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atom.com\/blog\/fqdn-fully-qualified-domain-name\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Fully Qualified Domain Name? FQDN Meaning & Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Photo by: Donald Tong<\/a> courtesy of Pexel.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s one thing the internet is known for, it\u2019s constantly churning out an endless stream of acronyms that we all struggle to track. FQDN is yet another four-letter abbreviation to add to your repository of strange acronyms. But what does FQDN actually stand for? And when should you use one versus just a regular web address?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FQDN stands for \u201cFully Qualified Domain Name\u201d and it is a web address that provides the complete and exact location for a website, server, or other web resource. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, so maybe words like domain name<\/a>, server, and even website are new to you. But don\u2019t worry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019re going to take a deep look at FQDNs. I\u2019ll explain how they\u2019re structured, exactly how they work, and provide some examples of when you would or wouldn\u2019t need to use one. By the end, the world of FQDNs will make perfect sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Fully Qualified Domain Name?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is a complete domain name that shows the precise location of a computer, server, or host on the internet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FQDNs follow a specific format of hostname.main-domain.top-level domain with periods between each part. There’s also a trailing period at the very end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of it like specifying the address for a particular apartment, instead of the street address for an apartment building. For example, the domain name for Google is google.com. But when you include a \u201cdoc\u201d or \u201cdrive\u201d prefix (making it drive.google.com), the FQDN precisely identifies their cloud storage website versus other parts of the google.com domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s like specifying apartment 105, 17 Domain Avenue, whereas google.com is the whole building. Meanwhile, you\u2019ve got mail.google.com down the corridor in apartment 101 and one.google.com downstairs in apartment 99.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FQDNs help cut through ambiguity online, always refer to a single location in the domain name system, and ensure users end up where they intended. They’re especially critical for emails between companies or systems that share a common internet address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FQDN Examples<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s take a few examples so you can get a better understanding of what an FQDN is. Remember that a fully qualified domain name has three elements \u2013 a hostname, the main domain name, and a top-level domain<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few practical examples of what I mean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

mymail.somecollege.edu<\/strong>: In this fully qualified domain name, the hostname is “mymail,” and it is located within the domain which is somecollege.edu. The top-level domain (TLD) is .edu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

imap.gmail.com:<\/strong> The hostname of this FQDN is “imap,” and it is located within the domain “gmail.com,” while the top-level domain is “.com.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.Atom.com:<\/strong> The hostname is “www”, and it is located in the domain “Atom.com,” while the top-level domain is .com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

en.wikipedia.org:  <\/strong>The hostname is “en,” and it is located in “Wikipedia.org,” while the top-level domain (TLD) is “.org.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do I find my FQDN?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So far we\u2019ve talked about websites, which are online locations. FQDNs can also refer to specific computers connected to a network. Even your computer has an FQDN. Depending on the device you\u2019re using, it\u2019s easy to find your FQDN. If you use a Windows PC, follow these steps to get your FQDN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n