New to domains and hosting? This glossary explains the terms you will meet when you register a domain, set up hosting, point DNS or read an invoice with Domain India. Each term has a plain definition and, where it matters, what it means on your Domain India account.
Your domain is your address, hosting is where your website and email live, DNS connects the two, and SSL encrypts the connection so browsers show a padlock. Domain India is a NIXI-accredited .IN registrar. Every shared hosting plan includes free SSL and weekly backups, and a proforma invoice becomes a GST tax invoice once it is paid.
1. Domain terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Domain name | The human-readable address of a website or email, such as example.in. You rent it by the year; it is never a one-time purchase. |
| TLD (extension) | The part after the last dot: .com, .in, .org. Second-level extensions such as .co.in and .net.in sit under .in. |
| ccTLD | A country-code extension. .in is India's, and .भारत is India's extension in Devanagari script. |
| Registrar | A company authorised to register domains for you. Domain India is a NIXI-accredited .IN registrar. |
| Registrant | The person or organisation that holds the domain, as recorded with the registry. |
| Subdomain | A prefix on your domain, such as blog.example.in. You create it in your hosting panel or DNS, with no extra registration fee. |
| Renewal | Paying for the next period before the domain expires. Domain India emails a renewal invoice; nothing renews until it is paid. |
| Domain lock | A setting that blocks transfers to another registrar until you remove it. Keep it on unless you are moving the domain. |
| EPP code (auth code) | A secret code that authorises a transfer to another registrar. It is on the domain's Transfer tab in the client area. |
WHOIS and RDAP are the public lookups that show a domain's registrar, key dates and, depending on the extension, the registrant's contact details. For .in and its second-level extensions (.co.in, .net.in, .org.in and others), personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS. This is free and automatic; there is nothing to switch on. The organisation name, state and country can still appear. For .com, .net, .org and most other extensions, privacy is an optional add-on at ₹300 a year per domain, enabled from the domain's page in the client area; see WHOIS privacy explained.
eKYC is the identity check the .IN registry can require for a .in domain. On Domain India it is done only at /client/kyc in the client area. If a domain stays on hold after verification, open a ticket.
2. Hosting terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Web hosting | Server space that stores your website and email and serves them on the internet. |
| Shared hosting | Many accounts share one server, each isolated from the others. The most affordable choice for business websites. |
| Reseller hosting | Hosting you resell to your own customers under your brand, from one master panel. |
| VPS | A virtual private server with its own resources and root access. Domain India VPS is self-managed and does not come with cPanel. |
| Control panel | The web interface for your hosting. Domain India shared hosting uses cPanel, DirectAdmin or Webuzo; Windows hosting uses Plesk. |
| One-click login | Opening your control panel from the client area without typing the panel password. On Webuzo it opens the login page instead. |
| FTP and SFTP | Ways to upload files from your computer. FTP should be used with TLS; SFTP runs over SSH. |
| SSH | Command-line access to your account. Jailed SSH is available on every shared hosting plan; it is off by default, so ask support to enable it. |
| Backup | A copy of your account you can restore. Shared hosting includes weekly backups, restored from JetBackup on cPanel and DirectAdmin. |
For SSH, log in with a key; see jailed SSH access. Windows (Plesk) hosting has no SSH. For the difference between addon, parked and subdomains, see this guide.
3. DNS terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| DNS | The Domain Name System, which turns a name such as example.in into the IP address of the server that answers for it. |
| Nameservers | The servers that hold your domain's DNS records. Point them at your hosting and your control panel manages the records. |
| A record | Points a name to an IPv4 address, such as 203.0.113.50. |
| AAAA record | Points a name to an IPv6 address. |
| CNAME record | Makes one name an alias of another, such as www pointing to example.in. |
| MX record | Says which server receives email for your domain. |
| TXT record | Holds text, used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC and ownership checks by other services. |
| TTL | Time to live: how many seconds resolvers may cache a record before asking again. |
| Propagation | The time it takes for a DNS change to be seen everywhere, as cached copies expire. Usually a few hours, and up to 48. |
Your hosting nameservers are shown on your hosting service's page in the client area, so you never need to type them from memory. See How do I change my nameservers and What is a nameserver.
4. Email terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| IMAP | Keeps mail on the server so every device shows the same inbox. The recommended choice. |
| POP3 | Downloads mail to one device and usually removes it from the server. |
| SMTP | The protocol for sending mail. Mail apps must sign in to the SMTP server with your full email address. |
| SPF | A TXT record listing the servers allowed to send mail for your domain. One per domain. |
| DKIM | A digital signature on outgoing mail that proves it came from your domain. |
| DMARC | A TXT record that tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF or DKIM, and where to send reports. |
| Webmail | Reading email in a browser. On cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo hosting it is at yourdomain.com/webmail. |
Read more in understanding SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
5. Security terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| SSL / TLS | Encryption between a visitor's browser and your site. TLS is the modern protocol; "SSL" is the everyday name. |
| SSL certificate | The file that proves a site's identity and enables HTTPS. Browsers show a padlock. |
| Let's Encrypt | A free certificate authority. Its certificates renew automatically. |
| AutoSSL | cPanel's tool that issues and renews free certificates for your domains without any action from you. |
| HTTPS | HTTP over TLS. A site needs a certificate and, ideally, a redirect from http to https. |
| 2FA | Two-factor authentication: a six-digit code from an app on your phone as well as your password. |
Every Domain India shared hosting plan includes free SSL: AutoSSL with Let's Encrypt on cPanel and Let's Encrypt in DirectAdmin. See AutoSSL in cPanel and enable two-factor authentication.
6. Billing terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Proforma invoice (PI-) | A request for payment raised when you order, renew or upgrade. It is not a tax document. |
| Invoice (INV-) | The number the same invoice gets once it is paid. |
| Tax invoice (TAX-) | The GST tax invoice issued when payment goes through. Give this one to your accountant. |
| GST | Goods and Services Tax, charged at 18%: CGST 9% + SGST 9% for a Tamil Nadu billing address, IGST 18% elsewhere in India. |
| GSTIN | Your 15-character GST number. Add it under GST information on your profile before you pay, so it appears on the tax invoice. |
| Renewal invoice | Generated up to 30 days before a due date. Domain India never charges a saved card automatically. |
More detail: Understanding your invoice (PI vs INV) and How auto-renewal works.
7. Where Domain India fits
Domain India registers domains, including .in as a NIXI-accredited registrar, and sells shared hosting on cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo, Windows hosting on Plesk, reseller hosting, self-managed VPS, the AI Website Builder, the App Platform and Business Email. Shared hosting starts at ₹100 a month on DirectAdmin, excluding 18% GST (Domain India list price on 19 September 2026). For a guided start, read Hosting basics.
- 10 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 50 GB Monthly Bandwidth
- 1 Website
- 5 Email Accounts
Prices on the cards exclude 18% GST.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a domain and hosting?
A domain is the address people type, such as example.in. Hosting is the server space that stores the website and email for that address. You need both for a website, and DNS connects them.
Is WHOIS privacy free for .in domains?
Yes. For .in and its second-level extensions such as .co.in, personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS. This is free and automatic, with nothing to switch on.
What is an EPP code?
A secret code that authorises moving a domain to another registrar. At Domain India, use Get EPP code on the domain's Transfer tab in the client area; if it shows Not Available for a .in domain, open a support ticket.
How long does DNS propagation take?
Usually a few hours, and up to 48 hours in some places, because resolvers keep cached copies until each record's TTL runs out.
Does Domain India hosting include free SSL?
Yes. Every shared hosting plan includes free SSL: AutoSSL with Let's Encrypt on cPanel and Let's Encrypt in DirectAdmin. The certificates renew automatically.
Which Domain India invoice do I give my accountant?
The tax invoice, whose number starts with TAX-. It is issued when the payment goes through and can be downloaded from the invoice page in the client area. A proforma invoice (PI-) is only a request for payment.
Is SSH available on shared hosting?
Jailed SSH access is available on every shared hosting plan (cPanel, DirectAdmin, Webuzo). It is off by default; ask support to enable it for your account. Windows (Plesk) hosting has no SSH.
Ready to get started? Search for a name on domain registration, compare cPanel and DirectAdmin hosting, or read Hosting basics for a step-by-step start.
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