The name test is a

top-level domain A top-level domain (TLD) is one of the domains at the highest level in the hierarchical Domain Name System The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and distributed naming system for computers, services, and other resources in the ...

(TLD) that is intended for use in the testing of software. The name was reserved by the

Internet Engineering Task Force The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is a standards organization for the Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to commun ...

(IETF) in RFC 2606 (June 1999) and is not intended to ever be installed into the global

Domain Name System The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and distributed naming system for computers, services, and other resources in the Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that use ...

(DNS) of the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, p ...

.RFC 2606 (BCP 32), ''Reserved Top Level DNS Names'', D. Eastlake, A. Panitz, The Internet Society (June 1999) Because neither ''test'' nor any of its subdomains can be registered, they can be used for testing purposes without fear of conflicts with current or future domain names. Another 11 test domains are: .测试, .परीक्षा, .испытание, .테스트, .טעסט, .測試, .آزمایشی, .பரிட்சை, .δοκιμή, .إختبار, .テスト.

Reserved DNS names

In 1999, the

reserved the DNS labels , , , and so that they may not be installed into the root zone of the Domain Name System. The reason for reservation of these top-level domain names is to reduce the likelihood of conflict and confusion. This allows the use of these names for either documentation purposes or in local testing scenarios. "IANA.org states Domains which are described as registered to IANA or ICANN on policy grounds are not available for registration or transfer, with the exception of country-name.info domains. These domains are available for release by the ICANN Governmental Advisory Committee Secretariat."

References

Top-level domains Computer-related introductions in 1999 {{compu-domain-stub sv:Toppdomän#Generiska toppdomäner