The Lifecycle of a Domain

The miracle of domain name registration is a magical and sometimes obscure process, but according to our research, the registration and management of a domain name has been found to adhere to a few very precise rules which may seem complicated for some.

We’ve already presented this information, at length, in our extensive documentation.

But it seems these processes remain a puzzle.

Well, now we are beginning to demystify the processes that lay beneath the surface through a series of graphics describing exactly those complicated processes.

This month, we are delving into the life and death of a domain name: from the moment it is first registered and blinks into existence, to its renewal, and then to the mysterious afterlife that lies beyond expiration.

This is how a domain is born, grows old and expires, and then what happens next.

Since .com and .net domains are the most common extensions, we decided it was most useful to show the lifecycle as it applies to these two extensions. Most domain names lead a life much like .com and .net domains, the differences largely being in the length of late-renewal periods and restoration, which can change by registry. You can find more specific information on an individual TLD’s info page.