What does .dev mean?
Registry operator: Charleston Road Registry Inc. — per the IANA root database.
Source: IANA root zone database, checked August 23, 2026.
What .dev is actually used for
web.dev, kubernetes.dev, thousands of personal dev portfolios — the TLD arrived in 2019 already meaning something. For a developer tool, name.dev often beats name.io at a quarter of the price. The forced-HTTPS quirk is a feature: the whole TLD is preloaded, so browsers refuse plain HTTP.
Is .dev a country code or generic domain?
.dev is a generic top-level domain (gTLD), not tied to any country. It's available to register through accredited registrars worldwide.
Who runs .dev?
.dev is operated by Charleston Road Registry Inc.. It has been live in the official IANA DNS root since 2019.
Can anyone register a .dev domain?
Yes — .dev is open for public registration through accredited registrars. Availability of a specific name still depends on whether someone already owns it. Here’s how to check whether a specific name is taken.
Should you use it?
Our short answer: Best value in domains for anything developer-facing. Cheap, on-message, and HTTPS-enforced at the registry level. For the full pros, cons, and rating, read the complete .dev review.