Overview
The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the fundamental pillars of how the internet works today. It acts like an internet phonebook, translating human-friendly domain names into machine-friendly IP addresses, ensuring users can easily navigate to websites using simple names instead of numerical IP addresses.
This article will introduce you to key DNS record types and their functions.
Notes
Proper DNS configuration is essential for ensuring your website, emails, and other online services function correctly.
Incorrectly setting up DNS records may lead to website downtime, email failures, or domain inaccessibility.
Changes to DNS settings may take up to 24 hours (DNS propagation time) to take full effect globally.
What is the DNS?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. It is a distributed database that stores domain-related information across various servers on the internet.
The primary job of DNS is to translate domain names (like example.com) into IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1), allowing browsers to load internet resources correctly.
Key DNS Record Types
- A Record (Address Record)
→ Maps a domain name to the IP address of the hosting server. - NS Record (Name Server Record)
→ Points to the name servers responsible for handling DNS queries for your domain. - CNAME Record (Canonical Name Record)
→ Creates aliases for your domain.
Example: Linking web.domain.com to domain.com. - MX Record (Mail Exchange Record)
→ Directs email traffic to the correct email servers.
Example: Routing emails to mail.example.com. - TXT Record (Text Record)
→ Stores text-based information, often used for:- SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records to prevent email spoofing.
- Domain ownership verification.
- URL Record (URL Redirection Record)
→ Redirects a domain name to another website.
