Domain Registration is simply the act of purchasing the domain name. While most domain registrars also offer web hosting services, it is not necessary to purchase both products from the same provider.
While doing domain registration here are some tips you should keep in mind.
Make sure that the domain registration company is legitimate and is accredited with ICAAN.
When you purchase the domain name, make sure that you own the name, rather than control being retained by the registrar.
Make sure that you can transfer the domain name to another registrar.
Since domain registration is so inexpensive, many registrars offer a host of other services like hosting, security. Think carefully about which of these additional services you actually need.
Read reviews in the Community to see what others think about various providers.
Domain Registration is the process of registering your domain name, or url, like http://www.spiceworks.com , as an example. Once you register the domain name, that name is yours and no-else is permitted to use the name for the period of the contract. Registration is typically done through a domain registrar. Registration is relatively inexpensive and easy to do. Sites like http://www.yahoo.com and http://www.godaddy.com offer services where you can search to see whether a particular name has already been taken. If so, you may be able to find the owner through the WHOIS database. If not, you could purchase the domain through one of those companies or one of many others that offer the service.
Some name registries are government departments (e.g., the registry for Sri Lanka nic.lk). Some are co-operatives of Internet service providers (such as DENIC) or not-for profit companies. Others operate as commercial organizations, such as the US registry.
The allocated and assigned domain names are made available by registries by use of the WHOIS system and via their Domain name servers.
Some registries sell the names directly (like SWITCH in Switzerland) and others rely on separate entities to sell them. For example, names in the .com TLD are in some sense sold “wholesale” at a regulated price by VeriSign, and individual domain name registrars sell names “retail” to businesses and consumers.