A key milestone in the creation process of the .cat domain
Next year, a new window of opportunity will open for the creation of new domain extensions on the Internet. This will be the second major expansion round promoted by ICANN, aimed at fostering a more diverse, representative network that is better adapted to the needs of communities around the world.
Twenty years ago, however, the context was very different. The .cat domain had to follow an unprecedented path: it was the first domain conceived to represent a linguistic and cultural community, opening a new category within the domain name system. Its creation was the result of a long, complex process marked by key milestones that ultimately led to the establishment of an extension open to the entire Catalan-speaking community.
One of these fundamental milestones was reached on a day like today in 2005.
On December 19, 2005—twenty years ago—the .cat domain appeared on the Internet for the first time as a top-level domain (TLD). That day, its official delegation was formalized, and addresses such as domini.cat, fundacio.cat, fundació.cat or tan.cat began to resolve correctly when entered into a web browser.
This moment marks the real and irreversible existence of the .cat domain: for the first time, the Internet incorporated a functional TLD dedicated to the Catalan language and culture. It was an unprecedented recognition that opened the door to a stronger and more visible digital presence for the Catalan-speaking community.
IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) documented this process in its official 2005 report, which reflected the rigor and thoroughness that accompanied the creation of the domain. After this milestone, further steps were still required before the .cat domain became available for public registration, which opened on April 23, 2006.
Today, therefore, we highlight a historic and decisive milestone: the moment when the representation of Catalan on the Internet finally acquired its own name. And that name has been, ever since, .cat.
