Find the hostname first
In https://guide.example.com/help/, the hostname is guide.example.com. The part before the first slash after the scheme identifies the host; /help/ is the path. A word placed in that path can describe content without establishing who publishes it.
Read the end of the name carefully
Consider https://example.com.other.example/help/: the visible text “example.com” at the beginning is not the complete host. Domain boundaries require attention, especially with longer public suffixes. Do not assume that the first familiar brand-like word is the identifying part of an address.
Compare the actual link destination
A link can display one phrase while leading somewhere else. Where your browser allows it, inspect or copy the destination before opening it, then check the final address afterward. A padlock or an HTTPS scheme describes the connection; neither proves that the publisher is the one you expected.
A quick checklist
- Separate the scheme, hostname and path.
- Compare whole addresses rather than familiar fragments.
- Check the destination again after a redirect.
This is independent information. It does not represent an operator or endorse its services.