.dev domains for developers

.dev is the top-level domain Google launched in 2019 for developers, dev tools, and technical portfolios. In a few years it became the most credible alternative to .com for software projects because it carries an instant semantic cue: this thing is built by developers, for developers.

What makes .dev different

Every .dev domain is on the HSTS preload list, which means browsers will only ever connect over HTTPS. There is no fallback to HTTP, even on the very first request. That is a feature, not a bug — it protects visitors against SSL stripping from day one. Practical consequence: you must have a valid TLS certificate configured before the domain is reachable. Most registrars bundle a free cert via Let's Encrypt, or you can use Cloudflare in front.

Pricing and registration

  • Registration runs roughly $12–$15 per year, depending on the registrar.
  • Anyone can register a .dev domain; no verified developer status is required.
  • Privacy protection (WHOIS redaction) is included at most registrars at no extra cost.
  • Renewal pricing is stable — Google has not run aggressive first-year discounts that spike in year two.

Who should use .dev

  • Developer tools, SDKs, CLI utilities, and frameworks.
  • Personal portfolios and technical blogs.
  • Open source projects that want to signal "this is software made by engineers".
  • Documentation sites (e.g. yourtool.dev/docs).

When to pick something else

  • If your audience is non-technical consumers, .co or plain .com still reads better.
  • If you want the "tech startup" association specifically, .io is closer to that story.
  • If you are building a shell tool or CLI, .sh is more on the nose.

How to verify a .dev domain with namebox.dev

namebox.dev checks .dev availability in real time against the registry via RDAP (RFC 7483), not via DNS approximation. When you generate names, each candidate that includes .dev is queried directly against the authoritative registry operator. If the registry returns no record, the name is genuinely available to register at this moment — not "probably free based on a DNS lookup".

To generate .dev candidates, run a search at namebox.dev and filter for available .dev options in the results grid. Compare .dev against other developer TLDs before committing.

Find a verified-available domain name for your project.