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A gTLD is a top-level domain classified as generic rather than country-code or infrastructure. It exists at the first label beneath the DNS root. The root tells resolvers where the TLD is delegated; registry policy and contracts are separate layers.
The short definition
A generic top-level domain, or gTLD, is a top-level label in the Domain Name System that is classified as generic rather than as a country-code TLD or the infrastructure TLD. Familiar examples include .com, .org, .info and many newer strings.
The important part is its position in DNS: a TLD is directly below the root. In example.xyz, .xyz is the TLD and example is a label registered beneath it.
Where it sits in DNS
DNS is hierarchical. A resolver starts from the root and follows referrals toward the authoritative servers for the name it is trying to resolve.
The root zone does not contain every domain registered under a TLD. It contains the delegation information needed to reach the authoritative infrastructure for that TLD.
What “delegated” means
When a TLD is delegated, the root zone contains the records required to refer DNS queries to the TLD's authoritative name servers. A reference site should treat current root data as the source of truth for whether a string is presently delegated.
A registry agreement and a live DNS delegation are related but not identical facts. They should be stored and displayed separately.
IANA, ICANN and the registry
Three names appear constantly around gTLDs, but they describe different roles.
| Actor | What this site uses it for |
|---|---|
| IANA | Root-zone delegation, TLD classification, sponsoring organisation, authoritative name servers and related technical records. |
| ICANN | Registry agreements, contractual status and agreement specifications such as community or brand provisions. |
| Registry operator | Operation of the TLD registry under the applicable delegation and contractual framework. |
What a TLD name does not prove
A string can look descriptive without that description being a registration rule. A label such as .photography does not, by itself, prove who may register a domain, what the registry's purpose is, or whether registrations are restricted.
Eligibility, restrictions and community commitments belong to registry policy or contract sources. If the primary source does not say it, a reference site should not manufacture it.
Primary sources
These are the primary references this guide is designed around. When implementation data disagrees with editorial copy, the primary source wins.