What does .org mean? The domain extension at a glance

The domain extension .org frequently appears when surfing the internet. The abbreviation .org stands for ‘organisation’, as the use of the domain extension was originally intended for non-commercial organisations.

What is .org?

The abbreviation .org stands for ‘organisation’. The .org domain extension is a so-called top-level domain (TLD), which is administered by the Public Internet Registry. It was introduced in 1985 and is one of the original generic TLDs, along with .com, .net, .edu, .gov and .mil. Originally, .org was primarily intended for non-commercial organisations, but today its use is broader and the .org domain is one of the most widely used and most popular domain extensions of all as it’s used by over 11 million website operators.

Who can register a .org domain?

The .org domain is generally accessible to everyone. Unlike some other TLDs such as .edu or .gov, which are subject to specific criteria and may only be registered by educational institutions or government organisations, there are no formal restrictions for registering a .org domain. This means that individuals as well as companies or organisations can acquire a .org domain.

However, despite the lack of formal restrictions, the .org domain is often associated with certain types of organisations:

• Charitable organisations: Charitable organisations, NGOs and other non-profit institutions often use a .org domain.
• Interest groups and communities: Groups that represent a common cause or a specific community also use the .org TLD in many cases, as it’s ideally suited as a club domain.
• Open-source projects: Many open-source software projects, such as Linux or Mozilla, use .org domains to emphasise their independence and non-profit character.

Criteria for using the .org domain

As mentioned earlier, there are no formal restrictions on using a .org domain. However, it’s important to consider how this domain extension is perceived. Visitors to a .org website often assume that the organisation behind it is non-commercial in nature. If you choose a .org domain, make sure your website’s content and presentation align with this expectation. For organisations focused on public welfare, education, or community initiatives, the .org TLD is an excellent choice.

If the .org domain isn’t available or another TLD is better suited to the planned use, there are various alternatives:

• .com: The best known and most widely used TLD, suitable for commercial and general purposes.
• Country-specific TLDs: TLDs such as .de (Germany), .uk (Great Britain) or .fr (France) can be a sensible choice for locally active companies.
• .net: Originally intended for network operators, today a common alternative to .com.
• .info: Suitable for information pages and a good choice if the focus is on providing knowledge.
• .ngo: Specially developed for non-governmental organisations (NGOs), this TLD offers an alternative to the .org domain with an even clearer focus on non-profit organisations.
• New TLDs: Since the expansion of the domain space, there have been numerous new TLDs such as .charity, .foundation or .community, which have been specially developed for specific purposes.