A web directory is a listing of websites organized in a hierarchy or interconnected list of categories.

The following is a list of notable web directory services.

General

  • DOAJ.org – Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Curlie.org (formerly DMOZ, also known as Open Directory Project – the largest directory of the Web. Its open content has been mirrored at many sites. The original DMOZ went offline in March 2017, but continued since August 2018 as Curlie.
  • Jasmine Directory - Lists websites by topic and by region, specializing in business websites.
  • Sources – Web portal for journalists, freelance writers, editors, authors, and researchers; in addition to a search engine it includes a subject-based directory.

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Business directories

  • Business.com – Integrated directory of knowledge resources and companies, that charges a fee for listing review and operates as a pay per click search engine.
  • Yell – is a digital marketing and online directory business in the United Kingdom

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Niche

  • Library and Archival Exhibitions on the Web – international database of online exhibitions which is a service of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries.
  • Virtual Library museums pages – directory of museum websites around the world.

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Regional

  • 2345.com &ndash; Chinese web directory founded in 2005. The website is the second most used web directory in China.
  • Alleba &ndash; Filipino search engine website, with directory.
  • Timway &ndash; web portal and directory primarily serving Hong Kong.

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Defunct directories

  • AboutUs.com&nbsp;– directory from 2005 to 2013.
  • Anime Web Turnpike &ndash; was a web directory founded in August 1995 by Jay Fubler Harvey. It served as a large database of links to various anime and manga websites.
  • Biographicon&nbsp;– directory of biographical entries.
  • Dalilmasr &ndash; Egyptian online directory
  • Google Directory&nbsp;– copy of DMOZ directory, with sites listed in PageRank order within each category. Closed in July 2011.
  • Internet Public Library&nbsp;– librarian-edited directory, product of a merger with the Librarians' Internet Index (LII) in 2010. Closed in June 2015.
  • Intute&nbsp;– directory of websites for study and research. Maintenance stopped in July 2011, archives remain available.
  • LookSmart&nbsp;– operated several vertical directories from 1995 to 2006.
  • Lycos' TOP 5%&nbsp;– from 1995 until 2000 it aimed to list the Web's top 5% of Websites.
  • ProgrammableWeb – resource on APIs that provides a directory of APIs.
  • World Wide Web Virtual Library (VLIB) – Was the first directory of the Web, and operated from 1991 to 2005.
  • Yahoo Directory– first service that Yahoo! offered. Closed in December 2014.
  • Yahoo Kids &ndash; oldest online search directory for children, until its discontinuation as of April 30, 2013.
  • Zeal&nbsp;– volunteer-built Web directory; it was introduced in 1999, acquired by LookSmart in 2000, and shut down in 2006.

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See also

  • List of search engines
  • Web directory