Introduction to Free Domain Names
A non-profit organization supported by Cloudflare, GitHub, and other organizations has made domain names available for free, with no hidden fees or catches. The sponsor of these free domain names explains that their purpose is not to replace commercial domain names but to offer an open-source alternative for developers, students, and individuals who want to create a hobby site without incurring any costs. The ultimate goal is to make the internet a free and open space where everyone can publish and express themselves online without facing financial barriers.
What is DigitalPlat?
The open-source domains are offered by DigitalPlat, a non-profit organization sponsored by 1Password, The Hack Club (The Hack Foundation), Twilio, GitHub, and Cloudflare. The Hack Foundation is a certified non-profit organization founded in 2016 by high school students, receiving support from hundreds of supporters, including Google.org and Elon Musk. According to their website, The Hack Foundation expanded in 2018 to act as a non-profit fiscal sponsor for Hack Clubs, hackathons, community organizations, and other for-good projects.
The Hack Foundation’s Role
Today, hundreds of diverse groups, ranging from a small town newspaper in Vermont to the largest high-school hackathon in Pennsylvania, are fiscally sponsored by The Hack Foundation. A notice on The Hack Foundation’s donation webpage explains their connection to DigitalPlat, stating that the DigitalPlat Foundation is a global non-profit organization that supports open-source and community development while exploring innovative projects. All funds are supervised and managed by The Hack Foundation, strictly regulated in compliance with US IRS guidance and legal requirements under section 501(c)(3).
DigitalPlat FreeDomain
The free domain names can be registered via DigitalPlat, and the free domains project is open-source, licensed under AGPL-3.0. An announcement was made by the GitHub Projects Community with a link to a GitHub page for the free domains, listing the following domain extensions as choices:
- .DPDNS.ORG
- .US.KG
- .QZZ.IO
- .XX.KG
Technically, these are subdomains, but so are .uk.com domains. The official GitHub page for the domains recommends using Cloudflare, FreeDNS by Afraid.org, or Hostry for managing the DNS at zero cost.
Domain Extensions Explained
The .KG domain is from the country code of Kyrgyzstan. DPDNS.ORG is the domain name of DigitalPlat FreeDomain. .US.KG is operated by the DigitalPlat Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization sponsored by The Hack Foundation. The Open-Source Projects page for the free domains explains the purpose and goals of the free domain offers, stating that the project is open-source, transparent, and backed by The Hack Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Conclusion
The initiative by DigitalPlat to offer free domain names is a significant step towards making the internet more accessible and open. By providing an alternative to commercial domain names, DigitalPlat aims to encourage developers, students, and hobbyists to create and express themselves online without financial constraints. With the support of renowned organizations like GitHub and Cloudflare, DigitalPlat’s mission to increase accessibility on the web is underway. Full directions for registering a free domain name are available, making it easier for individuals to take the first step in creating their online presence.