Example.com Just Launched the Biggest Redesign in Decades
2 hours ago
- example.com is a reserved domain set by IANA for documentation, used since the late 1990s.
- On September 28, 2026, the site added multi-language support with JavaScript, rotating content every 5 seconds, and an SVG book icon.
- Language transitions use a gradual opacity effect with character-by-character delays via CSS transition-delay on individual span elements.
- IANA states changes aim to reduce bandwidth or improve utility; most traffic is automated, so content is split into a basic page and optional JavaScript.
- Historical evolution includes: earliest version (2002) with table layout and ICANN logo; simplified messaging (March 2002); RFC 2606 citation (2003); .edu addition (2010); major redesign with rounded card and EdgeCast CDN (2013); font and copy updates (2019); infrastructure switches to Edgio/Cloudflare (2025); various tweaks in 2025–2026.
- The site advises against using example.com for testing or monitoring due to occasional unreliability; using controlled infrastructure is more reliable.
- Changes to example.com happen sporadically, with periods of up to seven years without updates; performance is tracked via Chrome UX Report and DebugBear.