A registrar is an accredited company or organization that sells and manages the registration of domain names on the Internet. When you want to register a domain name for a web site, for example “mycompany.com”, you go through a registrar to purchase this domain name and associate it with your online services(web site, email, etc.).
Registrar roles and responsibilities :
- Domain name registration: The registrar is responsible for reserving a domain name on your behalf with a domain name registry, which is a centralized database managing all domains of a certain level (e.g. “.com”, “.org”, “.fr”).
- DNS management: The registrar often provides services to manage DNS (Domain Name System) records, which link your domain name to the IP address of your web server. This enables users to find your website by typing your domain name into their browser.
- Domain renewal and transfer: Registrars are also responsible for the periodic renewal of your domain registration. They also allow you to transfer a domain name to another registrar if you decide to change providers.
- Owner information protection: Some registrars offer additional services such as privacy protection, which hides the domain owner’s personal information in public databases(WHOIS).
- Customer support: The registrar provides support to help users with the registration process, DNS configuration, renewals and domain management.
Recording system operation :
- ICANN: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN) is the global organization that oversees domain name management and accredits registrars. It defines policies for the registration of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) such as “.com”, “.net”, etc.
- AFNIC: In France, the Association Française pour le Nommage Internet en Coopération(AFNIC) plays a similar role, but on a national level. It is responsible for managing “.fr” domain names and other extensions linked to France. AFNIC ensures the administration and maintenance of these national top-level domains (ccTLDs), establishing specific rules and collaborating with registrars to enable registration of these domains in France.
- Registry: The registry is the entity responsible for managing a particular top-level domain (such as “.com”). Registrars work with these registries to register domain names on your behalf.
Examples of popular registrars:
- GoDaddy: One of the world’s largest registrars, offering a wide range of domain-related services.
- Namecheap: Known for its competitive prices and customer service.
- Google Domains: Google’s domain name registration service.
- OVH: French provider of cloud services and domain names.
Why is it important to choose a good registrar?
The choice of a registrar is crucial, as it affects the management of your domain name, the security of your personal information, the simplicity of DNS management, and the quality of customer support. A good registrar will make these processes smoother and more secure, while a poor choice could lead to complications, extra costs or service interruptions.
In short, a registrar is the intermediary between you and the global domain name management system, playing a key role in your website’s online presence.
