Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What is the difference between a URL and a domain?
A domain is just the name of a host (like a street address); a URL is the complete address of a specific resource, including protocol, path, and file.
The two are often used loosely, but the domain is only one part of a URL:
| Term | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | the name of a system in DNS | www.hslu.ch |
| URL | the full address of one resource | https://www.hslu.ch/en/studies/index.html |
You can see the nesting clearly:
https://www.hslu.ch/en/studies/index.html
\____/ \_________/\_________________/
protocol domain path + resource
Analogy: the domain is the address of a building (Main Street 10); the URL is the building plus the exact floor and room (Main Street 10, 3rd floor, Room 305).
Why the distinction matters technically: DNS only translates the domain into an IP address. Everything else in the URL — the path, the filename, any query parameters — is never seen by DNS; it is interpreted by the web server once your request arrives there.