.example
The name example is reserved by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in RFC 2606 (June 1999) as a domain name that may not be installed as a top-level domain in the Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet.[1]
| Introduced | 1999 |
|---|---|
| TLD type | Reserved top-level domain |
| Status | Reserved to prevent confusion and conflict |
| Registry | IANA |
| Sponsor | None |
| Intended use | Example top-level domain for documentation |
| Actual use | Sometimes used in intended manner in documentation |
| Registration restrictions | no registrations are possible |
| Structure | as needed in example usage |
| Documents | RFC 2606 |
| Dispute policies | None |
| Registry website | None |
Reserved DNS names
In 1999, the Internet Engineering Task Force reserved the DNS labels example, invalid, localhost, and test so that they may not be installed into the root zone of the Domain Name System.
The reason for reservation of these top-level domain names is to reduce the likelihood of conflict and confusion.[1] This allows the use of these names for either documentation purposes or in local testing scenarios.
Purpose
The top-level domain example is explicitly intended to be used in documentation or other technical writing, when domain names are presented as examples in usage or presentation of concepts of the Domain Name System or the Internet.
See also
- example.com
- 192.0.2.0/24 – IPv4 range reserved for documentation and example code by RFC 3330
- 2001:db8::/32 – IPv6 range reserved for documentation by RFC 3849
References
- RFC 2606 (BCP 32), Reserved Top Level DNS Names, D. Eastlake, A. Panitz, The Internet Society (June 1999)