Rewriting internet URLs (a pipe dream)

getting something off my chest about internet URLs
2025-10-04 12:26
// updated 2025-10-04 12:37

We all know that conventions rarely have optimized structures; that to optimize them, would involve great pains and vehement disapproval from the masses, who prefer things "done the current way" because "it takes less effort"...

Nevertheless, "if I were to create the internet all over again", I would have URLs or web addresses follow this top-down structure:

  • protocol, e.g. "https://" or "ftp://" or something like that
    • as it does currently
  • country code, e.g. "ca" for Canada or "au" for Australia
    • also, the domain owner must actually reside in the country of that code
    • no domain hacks!
    • no crazy shit like ".computer" and ".xxx"
  • type
    • the domain owner must belong to an appropriate organization type on the date of registration, e.g.
      • ".gov" for government
      • ".com" for commercial
      • ".org" for non-profit
      • ".net" for personal
  • domain
    • its name can contain almost anything, e.g.
      • "google"
      • "joncoded"
      • "2cool4anicedomain"
      • (non-Latin characters)
  • subdomain
    • its name also can contain almost anything if the domain owner allows
    • if no subdomain exists then the default subdomain is "root"
  • folder
  • subfolder
  • file (and extension)
    • with optional #hashtag or ?query=

Examples

So, a webpage would have a URL structure in the form:

protocol://countrycode.purpose.domain/subdomain/folder/subfolder/file.ext

Example 1 : a government site

https://ca.gov.gc/root/en/services/benefits/ei.html

for a URL that is currently on:

https://www.gc.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html

Example 2 : a personal site

https://ca.net.joncoded/root/text/uncoding/rewriting-internet-urls-a-pipe-dream

for

https://www.joncoded.com/text/uncoding/rewriting-internet-urls-a-pipe-dream

...since I live in Canada and my website is "personal"! (My website would also not have a subdomain but live on "root" to distinguish it from other sites that have a subdomain on my domain!)

Caveats

Of course, my URL convention does not make a URL "shorter" by any means, with a more top-to-bottom "hierarchical" structure ... kind of like how North Americans use "month-data-year", a more sensible date format would involve a "year-month-day", big-to-small, kind of scheme!

Alas, such a convention would not work in a world like ours:

  • the scheme would require too many resources to police or jury
    • does the applicant website qualify as a ".com" or a ".net"?
  • some countries (or even communities) would rebel and do their own thing

Reform of URLs at this point would work almost as effectively as reforming English spelling!

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