What it is
Reads the registration record for the domain: the registrar it was bought through, when it was created and when it expires, the status codes currently set on it, and the nameservers it delegates to.
Why it matters
Dates are the strongest signal here. A domain registered three weeks ago behaves very differently from one that has been renewed since 2004. Status codes show whether it is locked against transfer, or sitting in a grace period after expiry.
Key terms
- WHOIS
- The public record of a domain's registration: its registrar, key dates, nameservers and, unless hidden, the owner's contact details.
- Registrar
- The company a domain is registered through, like Namecheap or GoDaddy. Anyone who gets into that account can take control of the domain.
- Registry
- The organisation that runs a whole top-level domain, like Verisign for .com, and keeps the master list of who holds each name.
- Domain Expiry
- The date a domain's registration runs out. If it isn't renewed, the site and its email stop working, and the name can end up with someone else.