Internationalized Domain Name Registration
Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) registration refers to the process of registering domain names that contain non-ASCII characters or international characters, such as letters with diacritics or characters from non-Latin scripts like Cyrillic, Arabic, or Chinese. This allows individuals and businesses to register domain names that better represent their cultural or linguistic identity online.
(https://www.verisign.com/en_US/resources/img/how-idns-works.png)
In the past, domain names were limited to a set of ASCII characters, primarily those used in the English language. This presented a challenge for individuals and businesses in non-English speaking countries who wanted domain names in their native languages. IDN registration was introduced to address this limitation and allow for greater linguistic diversity in domain names.
When registering an internationalized domain name, it's important to work with a domain registrar that supports IDNs and is accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is the organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and methodologies of several databases, with unique identifiers for use on the Internet, ensuring the network's stable and secure operation.
Here are some examples of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) using non-ASCII characters:
1. Chinese IDN:
- Traditional Chinese: 測試.台灣
- Simplified Chinese: 测试.中国
2. Russian IDN:
- россия.рф (transliterated: rossiya.rf)
3. Arabic IDN:
- مثال.السعودية
4. Japanese IDN:
- さくら.ドメイン
5. Hindi IDN:
- परीक्षा.भारत
Why are IDNs important?
IDNs are crucial for linguistic diversity on the internet, allowing users to register and use domain names in their native languages and scripts. This enhances the accessibility and usability of the internet for speakers of languages that do not use the Latin script.
How to register an IDN?
To register an IDN, you must go through a registrar that supports IDN registrations. The process involves:
1. Checking the availability of the desired domain name.
2. Ensuring the domain name complies with the specific language and script rules set by the registry.
3. Converting the domain name into Punycode format for compatibility with the DNS system.
4. Completing the registration process with the chosen registrar.
Challenges with IDNs
There are several challenges associated with IDNs, including:
- Security concerns: such as homograph attacks, where characters from different scripts are used to create visually similar-looking domain names for phishing.
- Technical issues: with software and applications that may not fully support IDNs.
- User awareness: Many users are not aware of IDNs or how to access them correctly.
The future of IDNs
As the internet continues to grow and diversify, the importance of IDNs is likely to increase. Efforts are ongoing to improve IDN standards, security, and user awareness to ensure that the internet remains accessible and inclusive for all language communities.
It's essential to note that while IDNs can be registered and used, they still need to be converted to Punycode format for actual DNS resolution, as domain names in the DNS system can only consist of ASCII characters. The Punycode system is used to represent IDN domain names with an ASCII-only format for DNS resolution, allowing these domain names to function within the existing DNS infrastructure.