SPACE FOR DEVELOPERS AND TECHNOLOGY: GOOGLE’S NEW .DEV DOMAIN

As the tech landscape continues to evolve, the move to introduce the new .dev domain for developers is no surprise.

The new .dev domain was first introduced a couple of weeks ago. It was introduced as Google’s way to appreciate developers, designers, engineers, and writers in the tech space; the people who build the web. With the introduction period over, .dev domains from Google are now available to everyone.

The move to introduce a new TLD for developers is not surprising. After all, the tech landscape has been evolving at a fast pace in the past few years. A .dev domain is perfect for developers, programming tools, and other resources that fit this category.

No Restrictions on a .dev Domain

There is no restriction as to how you can use a .dev domain either. You can have yourname.dev and start a blog about your day-to-day experience as a programmer. You can also use the TLD for your new app, a programming tool you develop, and even for your Git page.

The move is not without sufficient support. Google is throwing its weight into and supporting the new .dev domain by moving some of its assets to the new TLD. The move is not complete; expect to see more Google assets being made accessible through .dev domains.

This move by Google has also sparked responses by stakeholders. You can now visit GitHub.dev and grow.dev to access their respective resources. There is also accessibility.dev, a resource centre designed to bring more inclusiveness to the landscape.

Others are using .dev domains to represent their movements. Women Who Code now occupies women.dev. It is easy to see how the new domain name fits Women Who Code perfectly.

Part of a Bigger Expansion

The introduction of .dev isn’t a surprising move, especially since there are more generic top-level domains (GTLDs) being introduced to the market right now. The main purpose of these new GTLDs is to allow brands, organisations, and individuals access to shorter domain names, making the World Wide Web more usable as a whole.

Google itself now uses .google for brand-related sites. We have diversity.google for information about diversity inside the company and the tech scene in general. Sustainability.google, as the domain name suggests, covers how Google is tackling the issue of sustainability in everything that Google does.

Emphasis on Security

The release of the .dev domain is in line with Google’s attempt to make the internet safer. After prioritising secure websites in search results, Google now takes another step and promotes security through .dev domain names.

All websites that use this TLD will be secured thanks to the HTTPS-everywhere initiative.

The domain uses HTTPS by default, so users still benefit from the extra security layer. The use of HTTPS also protects users from ad malware and scripts designed to track user activity.

So, where can you get your .dev domain name? Aside from registering the domain name through Google, you can also purchase the name you want via other registrars. Both GoDaddy and NameCheap started offering .dev domain names as soon as the TLD was made publicly available.

Similar to .app and .page domains, expect to see SEO benefits and other advantages when using .dev domain names. If you can’t find yourname.com – or if it is for sale at a premium – yourname.dev is a great alternative to consider.