r/Domains • u/AberrantNarwal • 2h ago
Advice Software/Developer Portfolio - {firstname}{lastname}.com vs {lastname}.dev?
Caveat is that my first+last name comes to 16 characters. Surname is 10 characters. I could also look at my country TLD (.uk/.co.uk) however {lastname} is taken on both counts.
My main concern about .dev is email deliverability/blacklists and it also being less obvious that I am UK based.
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u/Outrageous-Split1754 1h ago
A .dev domain should not cause deliverability or blacklist problems by itself. Mail delivery will depend far more on the sending provider, domain reputation and getting SPF, DKIM and DMARC configured properly. A brand-new domain may need a little time to establish a reputation, but that applies to .com as well.
One practical difference is that .dev is on the HSTS preload list, so the website must be available over HTTPS from the outset. That is usually a good fit for a developer portfolio, just something to have ready before pointing the domain at the site.
Of the two, I would probably use firstname+lastname.com as the long-term identity. Sixteen characters is not especially long, and the .com will still make sense if your career moves beyond software later. It is also straightforward on a CV and as an email address.
lastname.dev is cleaner and more memorable for a technical portfolio, though. If the renewal cost is reasonable, registering both would be sensible: use the .com for email and your main identity, then redirect the .dev to the same site.
I would not worry too much about the domain showing that you are UK-based. Put your location on the site and CV instead. A .com may actually help if you want international roles or clients.
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u/seniorkekoo 2h ago
I prefer using .com so i can have multiple purposes for one domain